A launch ceremony was held in Seoul Wednesday morning for a central organization in charge of the management of state-backed Korean-language institutes overseas.

The King Sejong Institute Foundation was established in accordance with a revision to a law on the basic education of Korean language, which was promulgated in May. The foundation will focus on four major tasks: offering more professional education of the Korean language; promoting Korean culture though various programs; boosting cooperation between related agencies; and providing online Korean language programs.

The foundation will develop the curriculum and standard textbooks and train more teachers for its King Sejong Institutes. It will also dispatch art instructors who will introduce and teach Korean culture and art at its schools all over the world.

The ceremony at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul was attended by roughly 150 people, including Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choe Kwang-shik, and academic figures.