HOW TO TEACH KOREAN COUNTRY STUDIES THROUGH LANGUAGE AT THE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The article examines teaching of Korean country studies through language at the university. Relations with the states of the Korean Peninsula, which directly borders Russia in the eastern part of the country, have remained significant since the late 19th century. At present diplomatic ties with the DPRK and ROK necessitate the training of international relations specialists with knowledge of the Korean language, while students also have a strong interest in the Korean language and culture. Country studies through language, as a broad discipline encompassing the study of various aspects of social life through language, has become crucial for effective intercultural communication, where language proficiency alone is insufficient to understand the mentality and cultural code of another nation. A particular challenge in teaching Korean country studies through language and preparing the textbook “About Korea in Korean” is the need to give equal attention and seamlessly integrate the “cultural language” of the DPRK and the “standard language” of the ROK in a single publication, covering a wide range of topics within the field of linguistics and country studies.