Korean-language Test Growing Popular in China

A Korean-language test is growing popular in China.

At a news conference at Kempinski Hotel in Beijing yesterday, the Chinese Human Resources and Social Security Ministry said it will hold the OK-Test (Occupation Korean Test) from May 23.

The test is the third for foreign language certification approved by Beijing after the TOEIC in 2004 and J. Test for Japanese communication in 2007.

Korean companies or other organizations in need of talent with Korean proficiency are expected to use the test results when recruiting employees. As trade volume has increased between Korea and China, more companies and organizations seek staff who can speak Korean. Many of them, however, face difficulty in objectively evaluating Korean proficiency.

Chinese Human Resources and Social Security Ministry official Liu Gang, who is in charge of vocational tests, said, “I hope the test will set evaluation standards and help college graduates with Korean-language ability find jobs more easily.”

The Korean test is offered twice a year for those whose mother tongue is not Korean. The highest score is 1,000 and the test results are divided into six grades, with the highest being a score of six comprising 826 points or higher. The test consists of multiple-choice and listening sections.

China’s OK-Test committee said the test will evaluate practical language ability by testing basic knowledge on business. The OK-Test Examination Committee under the Korean Language and Culture Educational Society will prepare the questions. The Chinese ministry will supervise giving test results to examinees and confirming grades.

The Chinese ministry is also considering measures to require Korean majors at Chinese universities to get a certain grade on the OK Test before graduation.

bonhong@donga.com