Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies partners with AI English app Speak to support students

Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' building in Dongdaemun District, eastern Seoul [CYBER HANKUK UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES] Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (CUFS) announced Tuesday that it has formed a strategic partnership with AI-powered English education application Speak to support its students. The partnership benefits undergraduates in the English department, including students on leaves of absence, alumni and those enrolled in the Tesol program. It also extends to graduate students majoring in AI & English at the CUFS Graduate School, the school said. Related Article Foreign English teachers cite stagnant wages, poor conditions amid drop in E-2 visas Once a magnet for foreign English teachers, Korea sees E-2 visa issuances hit six-year low Why 'English kindergartens' remain popular in Korea despite rising costs and government crackdowns As part of the partnership's perks, eligible CUFS students and alumni will receive special discounted pricing on Speak's annual subscription plan. The discount period will run from Monday through May 31 of next year. “I hope this partnership serves as an excellent opportunity to help students overcome psychological barriers and boost their confidence in speaking English,” said Prof. Lee Jong-bong, head of the CUFS English department. CUFS plans to expand its cooperation with various edutech platforms, university officials said. Based in San Francisco, Speak entered the Korean market in 2019 and was previously recognized as Google Play’s top application for language speaking practice. The platform allows users to practice conversational English with AI tutors that provide tailored feedback. As of November 2024, the app's monthly active users in Korea stood at 240,000. A four-year cyber university, CUFS is also set to open admissions for the second semester of the 2026 academic year. Applications will be accepted from Monday to July 16 across 10 departments: English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese & Indonesian, business administration, occupational safety & housing management, psychological counseling and K-beauty. For foreign nationals, admissions are open to anyone with a high school diploma or equivalent. BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]