Korean Embassy gifts 13,500 masks to 26 Indian schools as states prepare for reopening

New Delhi: With the announcement of the reopening of schools, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea gifted 13,500 masks with Indian flags printed on them to 26 Indian schools. According to the ministry of education, schools are fully open in 11 states, partially opened mainly for higher classes in 16 states and continue to remain closed in nine states.

The Korean Embassy issued masks to schools that have been conducting Korean language classes (curriculum-based classes and hobby classes) since 2021. “This step was taken for welcoming the students back to schools after a long interval due to COVID-19, and to wish them a happy and healthy school life ahead,” the official statement read.

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Ambassador of Republic of Korea to India, HE Chang Jae-bok, said, "I hope that the Indian students who have been through these hard times of the COVID pandemic are able to overcome it by staying healthy and can continue with their lives and studies in the school well and to deepen the understanding of Korean language and Korean culture.”

Through this, he conveyed his expectation from the Indian students to become a bridge between Korea and India in the future.

The Embassy further said, “Korean Cultural Centre India has been conducting pilot classes for Korean Language Education at Indian schools since 2015 and currently, 15 schools (18 classes, 607 students) are conducting Korean Language classes as a part of their curriculum, 18 schools (27 classes, 929 students) are conducting Korean Language classes as hobby classes thanks to the Indian government`s Korean language course recommendation through its 2020 National Education Policy and the popularity of Korean culture since the Covid 19 pandemic.”

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Nine of them are in Delhi and nearby, 3 in Chennai, 2 in Punjab, and 1 in Imphal. Particularly, 7 schools are conducting Korean Language classes as a part of their curriculum and hobby classes at the same time this year. 1,536 students have been learning Korean Language from a total of 26 schools.

The list of schools that were gifted masks by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.