English Medium Instruction in Korean Higher Education: Challenges and Future Directions

Abstract

Korean universities started offering English-medium instruction (EMI) classes in the 1990s, and the number has significantly increased since the Korean government began providing financial support for universities in the mid-2000s. This paper attempts to examine the past, present, and future of EMI in Korean higher education using document analysis of an extensive volume of research papers, newspaper articles, books, and internet sources on EMI in Korean tertiary education. Documents related to the Korean government’s official EMI policies were also collected and analyzed. The paper discusses why and how the Korean government initiated and supported EMI implementation in Korean universities, why and how universities have adopted and implemented EMI policies, professors’ and students’ perceptions of and attitudes toward EMI, and what are considered desirable EMI methods for Korean university students. The paper concludes with some remarks about future directions that Korean universities are likely to take in relation to EMI.