The 2020 spring semester of Turkish training courses organized by Seoul Yunus Emre Institute has commenced last week. As South Korea has managed to take the Covid-19 epidemic largely under control after its initial exponential spread across the country, the life in the country is slowly resuming its normal pace. While the higher education in the country will be maintained through online resources until mid-April, Yunus Emre Institute has been one of the first institutions that started courses in the classroom setting.

The courses given at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies are popular among people from different ages and professions, and they are offered in two classrooms either during weekdays or at the weekend.

Trainees not only learn Turkish at A1 and A2 levels, but also have a chance to learn more about Turkish culture. The trainees are offered cologne as a precaution against Covid-19 upon arrival, and they have a chance to taste Turkish delight, pişmaniye and Turkish coffee.

Trainees say that they want to learn Turkish in order to "live in Turkey, visit Turkey during holidays, and have trade with Turkey." The trainees who successfully complete the four-month course will be given Yunus Emre Institute's Turkish Certificates.

The courses use educational materials such as Yedi İklim (Seven Climates) Turkish Sets, developed taking into consideration the levels and basic living areas given in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and will end in summer.

It is possible to enroll the courses every two months throughout the year.