The culture ministry and state-run King Sejong Institute Foundation, which oversees Korean language education abroad, announced Monday that 18 new King Sejong Institutes will be established in 15 countries. 

The addition brings the number of institutes to 256 in 88 countries worldwide. 

The 18 new institutes were designated this year at ten locations in eight Asian countries, including Nepal and Saudi Arabia, six locations in five European countries, including Germany and Sweden, as well as Australia and Cuba. Nepal and Cuba will get their first institute with the designation. 

The new King Sejong Institutes will launch operations in earnest from next year after going through a trial run for six months. 

Ninety-seven organizations from 40 countries applied for this year’s designation, recording a competition rate of five-point-four to one, the highest in five years. 

The culture ministry said it plans to strengthen management and supervision of the overseas institutes by regularly evaluating their operations, supporting improvement measures and cancelling the designation for sites facing difficulties in carrying out normal operations.