Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies

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Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies
평양외국어대학
TypePublic
Location,
Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies
Chosŏn'gŭl
평양외국어대학
Hancha
平壤外國語大學
Revised RomanizationPyeongyang Oegugeo Daehak
McCune–ReischauerPyŏngyang Oegugŏ Taehak

The Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies is a five-year university in Pyongyang, North Korea, specializing in language education.

History[]

The university was split off from Kim Il-sung University in 1964.[1] North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency gives its foundation date as 1949.[2] It does not have as high a reputation as those of Kim Il-sung University's foreign languages division, which trains members of the political elite; most graduates go on to become working-level diplomats or work in the intelligence service.[3]

Structure[]

The university has separate colleges for students of English, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese; the so-called "Ethnic Languages College" offers instruction in a further 18 languages, including French, Spanish, Arabic, Thai, Urdu, Khmer, and, as of July 2007, Polish and Italian.[4]

In total, 22 languages are taught at PUFS:

Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Hungarian, Arabic, Malay, Khmer, Thai, Lao, Persian, Hindi, Urdu, English, German, Bulgarian, Czech, Polish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish.[5]

Notable students, faculty, and alumni[]

  • Charles Robert Jenkins, American defector and former English teacher; his daughters Brinda and Mika formerly attended as students[6]
  • James Dresnok, son of American defector James Joseph Dresnok[7]
  • Ri Yong-ho[8]
  • Thae Yong-ho, defector from North Korea, formerly North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom; current member of the National Assembly in South Korea

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Yi, Jae-seung (2007-07-23). 과학기술중시정책 영향... 외국어 배우기 열풍, 2개 국어 회화 필수 (in Korean). Minjog21.
  2. ^ "Pyongyang Univ. of Foreign Studies". Korean Central News Agency. 2009-11-24. Archived from the original on 2011-04-30. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  3. ^ Bowers, Andy (2006-10-10). "North Korea's Confusing Brand of English". National Public Radio.
  4. ^ 北평양외대, 폴란드.이태리어科 신설 [Pyongyang Foreign Languages University establishes Polish, Italian courses] (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. 2007-07-05. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Minjong21 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2014-12-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ Curtin, J. Sean (2004-06-05). "The strange saga of Charles Robert Jenkins". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 2004-06-14. Retrieved 2007-07-20.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ Produced by Robert G. Anderson and Casey Morgan; reported by Bob Simon (2007-07-28). "An American in North Korea". 60 Minutes. CBS Television.
  8. ^ North Korea Handbook. M.E. Sharpe. 2002. pp. 186–187. ISBN 978-0-7656-3523-5.
  • Danahar, Paul. "Meeting North Korea's 'Generation Next'" BBC News. BBC, 13 Feb. 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.

External links[]

Coordinates: 39°3′55″N 125°46′4″E / 39.06528°N 125.76778°E / 39.06528; 125.76778


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