Some 330,000 Koreans visited Indonesia last year, a 25 percent increase from 2009.

To cope with the increased demand, the ASEAN-Korea Center launched a Korean language training program for the Southeast Asian country’s tourism and hospitality industry in Jakarta.

The two-week language course is co-organized with Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. This summer’s course ends on June 25.

The course is geared toward workers in the tourism and hospitality industry, providing basic language training in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also familiarizes them with expressions used at airports and hotels for practical application in their day-to-day work.

In addition to the practical side of it, the program’s timing is also significant as Korea and Indonesia are celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The ASEAN-Korea Center said in a statement that it hoped the program would not only promote Korean travel to ASEAN countries, but also help to promote friendship and awareness between Korea and Southeast Asia.

The program was first implemented in five ASEAN countries: Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. As of this year, the program will be implemented in all 10 ASEAN member states.

(ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)