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Ha Dong Hwan, Project Manager for New Projects at iMarket Vietnam (a branch of iMarket Korea), shares insights into current career opportunities in the Vietnamese Language and Culture field.
As a researcher in Vietnamese and an employee at a RoK’s business, I’ve taught Vietnamese to dispatched employees from Samsung, Lotte, and CJ, and also worked as an interpreter for both the Vietnamese government and local authorities. I can affirm that there are significant career opportunities in the field of Vietnamese Language and Culture.
Many RoK’s companies operating in Vietnam – like Samsung, LG, Shinhan Bank need professionals fluent in both Korean and Vietnamese. Accurate communication is vital, especially in meetings, contract discussions, and interactions with government agencies. Misunderstandings can have serious consequences without someone who understands both languages and cultures.
The opportunities are abundant, especially for students deeply trained in Vietnamese language and culture. Major corporations like Samsung, LG, and Shinhan Bank prioritize hiring candidates with strong Vietnamese language skills. The value of human resources in this field is rising due to better salaries and an irreplaceable role in connecting foreign businesses with the Vietnamese market.
There’s still a shortage of professionals capable of thoroughly analyzing specialized documents, particularly those involving projects, legal matters, or complex content. As international cooperation expands, the demand for highly competent professionals in this field increases accordingly. Companies seek individuals who “master” the language and culture — not just those who can speak or translate at a basic level.
RoK’s companies hope that universities training Vietnamese language and culture specialists can offer more practical training, especially internships and real-world work experience.
In my opinion, Vietnamese Language and Culture programs are improving. In the past, the curriculum was too theoretical and lacked practical application. Recently, I’ve noticed changes — more real-life oriented courses are being introduced.
Notably, the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University (ULIS–VNU), has launched a new bachelor’s program in Teaching Vietnamese as a Foreign Language under the Vietnamese Language and Culture major (code: 7220101). This is the first program in Vietnam to specialize in teaching Vietnamese to foreigners, combining language, culture, and practical training to meet growing demand in the context of global integration.
This is a very promising field amid the growing Vietnam–RoK trade relationship. However, be prepared to study seriously, seek internships early, and don’t shy away from challenges. Once you have the skills, the right job and salary will follow — not only in Korean firms but also in Japanese, Chinese, and other international companies operating in Vietnam.
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I believe that if students are trained and challenged in the Vietnamese Language and Culture environment at ULIS–VNU, their future will be bright and their path to success wide open. Although many Vietnamese are fluent in RoK and vice versa, from a corporate standpoint, highly competent professionals in document translation and report writing are still very rare and even severely lacking.
