Runner-Up Proficient English Is a Must to Achieve Advanced Economy

By Yang So-mang

Yonsei University

$15 billion. That's the GDP of Chad, a central African nation. It is also the amount that South Korean households spend a year on private education. A cursory glance at the ``hagwon'' districts in Korea confirms that English instruction is at the heart of this private education fervor.

This is a stark indicator of the significance of English in the Korean economy ― and that's in the private education sector alone. Throw in an export-oriented economy, heavy dependence on foreign capital, and an ever-integrating global economy, the importance of English in the Korean economy is immeasurable.

As the momentum of globalization shows no signs of fatigue, it is to be expected that the role of English in Korea's economy will continue to expand for the foreseeable future. However, are we prepared for this pace? Will the continued anglicization of the world economy benefit Korea, or will it prove to be a stumbling block? In order to assess our future direction and identify key concerns, we must examine the often-overlooked role of English in the Korean economy.

Prior to assuming office, President Lee Myung-bak expressed concerns that English proficiency levels may result in income disparities. This concern is not groundless, when almost all mid-to-high income jobs require fluency in English (or, at least a test-score to that effect). Due to the inability of the current public education system to instill satisfactory English skills in students, it is inevitable that parents spend exorbitant amounts on private English education.

When faced with the possibility that ineptitude in English debilitates an individual beyond university entrance, and constrains their career prospects, parents feel that, when it comes to English, there is no such thing as ``too expensive'' or ``too early.'' Private spending on English education does not stop at high school. The trend has spread to university students and professionals. Needless to say, it is adding to the burden of the average household at a time when the economy is not at its healthiest.

Not being blessed with an abundance of natural resources, Korea's currency in competing in the global economy has always been its human resources. In the past, Korea was able to tap into its hard-working, dedicated workforce and produce quality labor-intensive goods. However, Korea's economic development strategy is shifting to of a knowledge-based economy to sustain the high wages and living standards. Government investment on projects such as Brain Korea 21 reinforces Korea's efforts to aid talented young people to become leaders in their respective fields. However, in order to become the best of the best, they must also be empowered with skills to be able to communicate their work to a worldwide audience in English.

Moreover, Korea's appeal as a business center will play a pivotal part in defining its new role in the world markets through its ability to attract FDI and nurture human capital. And English is the common denominator of all such business centers. Some have declared the onset of an era of ``Citynomics,'' citing the importance of cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai to a region's economy. In light of Korea's ambition to become a regional financial hub, the attractiveness of its cities as a home for foreign capital and labor is depends on its English-friendly environment.

Unfortunately, there is a long way to go before we can compete with these cities. Even Seoul, Korea's most celebrated city, with its abundance of bilingual placards, can be a forbidding place for foreigners. The linguistic challenge facing foreigners wishing to work or to invest in Korea is two-fold; some people are reluctant to speak English, whereas others are simply incapable of doing so. This scenario reflects complex sentiments towards globalization that are by no means unique to Korea. However, considering the Korean economy's hefty external dependence and the amount we are investing in English acquisition, the need to address this social impasse is crucial.

The importance of English in all sectors of the Korean economy is snowballing at an alarming pace. And the stakes are rising. The country's ability to embrace English could turn out to be the deal breaker in government efforts to secure the country's standing in the global economy. First and foremost, we need to reform how English is taught in public schools. Korea ranked 19th in a study conducted on 20 countries on English proficiency by the British Council. It is widely acknowledged that our investment in English acquisition is not paying off. Today's students and tomorrow's workers will pay the price of our continued inability to address the fatal flaws of the system. Korea's most pressing task is to reform the English education program to yield better returns while creating a more English-fostering environment at all levels of society.