King Sejong Institute will expand its global reach by setting up new branches at three locations.
 
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that the new Korean language institutes will be established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Cebu, the Philippines and Dushanbe in Tajikistan.
 
The ministry said the three locations have seen a growing demand for the Korean language due to the growing number of Korean tourists and the popularity of Korean pop culture.
 
King Sejong Institute aims to promote the Korean language and culture around the world. It now has 120 branches in 52 countries with the new additions. The total number of students enrolled at the institutes in 2013 is estimated to reach around 36 thousand, up 25 percent from last year.