Korea Herald: Why Arabic Is So Popular Among South Korean Students?

Students intent on entering the best colleges make strategic choices on every detail, and that was behind Arabic becoming the most popular second-choice foreign language for Korean students taking the Suneung, a college entrance exam. English and a second foreign language are among the test subjects. “More than seven out of 10 Suneung test-takers chose Arabic as a second foreign language this year, a surprisingly high number given that the language is rarely taught in schools here,” reports Bak Se-hwan for the Korea Herald. “The popularity of Arabic, however, is unlikely a reflection of the young generation’s genuine interest in the language or the region. Rather, it is a strategic decision for students to score high and get an upper hand over other test-takers.” Other second foreign language choices include German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Vietnamese and Classical Chinese. In response, education officials will adjust the test by issuing absolute scores rather than relative results that account for competition. – YaleGlobal