Only 19 percent of Korean diplomats stationed in non-English-speaking countries can speak the local language, acccording to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Yonhap

Amid rising tensions in the Middle East with the military clashes between Israel and Iran, it has been revealed that only two Korean diplomats stationed in the region are fluent in Arabic.

This is a concerning figure, given that Korea operates 19 diplomatic missions across the Middle East. It means that only one in 10 embassies has a diplomat capable of communicating in the local language.

According to Rep. Wi Sung-lac of the Democratic Party of Korea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has only four diplomats proficient in Arabic, with two based at the ministry's headquarters and the other two spread across its Middle Eastern missions.

Korea has embassies in 17 countries in the region, including Israel, Iran and Lebanon, and consulates in Dubai and Jeddah.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs defines these language specialists as those recruited through specialized programs for regional diplomacy or public sector experts.

However, critics inside and outside the ministry point out that foreign language proficiency, particularly in second languages like Arabic, is declining overall.

While the ministry has a system in place to assess and educate diplomats in key foreign languages such as English, French and German, training for languages like Arabic and Vietnamese has been inconsistent.

Low demand for Arabic

This gap is evident in the numbers. As of last year, only 19 percent of Korean diplomats stationed in non-English-speaking countries were able to speak the local language.

The lack of language proficiency has raised concerns about the country's ability to engage effectively in diplomacy in key regions, particularly as President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration aims to position Korea as a "global pivotal state."

One of the issues raised is the low demand for Arabic language skills within the ministry itself. A senior official said, "There is little incentive to specialize in languages like Arabic, as it doesn't necessarily lead to prestigious assignments."

Some diplomats have even expressed that it may be more advantageous to focus on languages spoken in key global posts.

This lack of language expertise could undermine Korea's foreign policy strategies, especially when dealing with non-English-speaking nations.

Wi emphasized the importance of nurturing diplomats with regional expertise and linguistic skills to align with the administration's ambitious foreign policy goals.

"If Korea is to truly become a global pivotal state, we must prioritize recruiting and developing diplomats who understand the languages and cultures of key regions," Wi said.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that English is commonly used in official communications with countries like Iran and Israel and that local administrative staff or external experts carry out tasks that require specific language skills.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.