Koryoin tutors teaching the Korean language in Russia and other post-Soviet countries pose during a tour at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. Courtesy of Overseas Koreans Cooperation Center

A total of 25 "Koryoin" tutors teaching the Korean language in Russia and other post-Soviet Union countries have completed a five-week training course in Korea, according to the Overseas Koreans Cooperation Center (OKCC).

Koryoin is a term used to refer to ethnic Koreans who live in post-Soviet states.

Operating under the Overseas Koreans Agency, the Seoul-based OKCC offers training and education programs for Korean nationals or people with Korean heritage residing abroad.

The 25 Koroyin teachers came from four countries: Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus. They took part in the course from Dec. 4 to Tuesday, the OKCC said.

According to the center, the teachers engaged in a four-week online training program, which included Korean language classes, lectures on Korean language teaching methods and Korean history and culture classes. They also showcased their speaking abilities through a debate contest.

Following the online course, the teachers arrived in Korea on Jan. 2 for a week-long offline program.

During their stay in Korea, they were offered lectures by Korean elementary school teachers, took part in classroom observations and mock teaching sessions. Cultural tours to Cheong Wa Dae (the former presidential office) and Gyeongbok Palace were also part of their itinerary.

This marks the first time in four years for the OKCC to invite Koryoin teachers to Korea since offline courses were suspended due to the pandemic.

"The most meaningful session for me during this training course was having discussions with Korean language teachers from various countries about Korean language teaching methods and sharing our experiences," Nastya Heo, a teacher from Saratov, Russia, said during a ceremony held on Monday to mark the completion of the course.

"Thanks to this training, I now feel more confident that I can deliver lessons more effectively."

Kim Young-geun, head of OKCC, encouraged the teachers to utilize the diverse knowledge gained during the training in their classrooms upon their return.