South Korea’s English proficiency has been confirmed to be the highest among non-English-speaking countries in Asia. According to the EF English Proficiency Index (EPI) 2025, the world’s largest English proficiency assessment, South Korea ranked 48th globally and first among Asian countries that do not use English as an official language.

EF EPI 2025 Ranking of Countries and Regions (www.ef.com/epi)

■ Global Rank: 48th — No.1 in Non-English-Speaking Asia

In the latest EF EPI assessment, South Korea scored 522 points, placing it 48th worldwide.
Only three Asian regions ranked above South Korea: the Philippines, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

However, these three share a crucial common feature — they all use English as an official or de facto official language.

• The Philippines designates English as an official language in its constitution.
• Malaysia uses English extensively in higher education, courts, and business, where it effectively functions as a practical working language.
• Hong Kong recognizes both Chinese and English as official languages with equal status.

When limiting the comparison to countries that do not use English as an official language, South Korea stands as the highest-ranking nation in Asia.

EF EPI 2025 Ranking of Asian Countries(www.ef.com/epi)

■ Clear Gap with Japan, China, and India

South Korea’s lead becomes more striking when compared to neighboring Asian countries:

• Japan: 96th place (446 points)
• China: 86th place (464 points)
• India: 74th place (484 points)

India’s case is particularly noteworthy. Despite adopting English as an official language, India scored lower than South Korea.
 Experts attribute this to significant disparities in English usage, which remains concentrated among specific socioeconomic and educational groups, resulting in a lower national average.

In contrast, although English is not a part of daily life in South Korea, consistent nationwide education allows the country to maintain a stable and relatively high average proficiency.

■ Structural Strength Behind Korea’s Performance

Experts note that South Korea’s competitiveness in English is not merely the product of study hours but the outcome of broader social and economic structures.

Several key factors contribute to this performance:

• An export-oriented economy where English proficiency directly influences competitiveness
• Broad access to education nationwide
• The global expansion of K-content, increasing English usage across industries
• Rapid adoption of AI-powered and digital learning tools
• A steady rise in English requirements in universities and corporate sectors

These combined elements have positioned South Korea as one of the few non-English-speaking countries with a high national average in English proficiency.

■ AI Era Demands Stronger Speaking and Writing Skills

Challenges remain, however.
South Korea’s strengths lie mainly in reading and listening, while speaking and writing—productive language skills—still lag behind.

Language educators note that in the age of AI, practical communication skills are becoming more important than basic comprehension, emphasizing the need for educational reforms in teaching and assessment.

■ From Follower to Leader

The latest findings indicate that South Korea is no longer a “follower” in English education but a leader among non-English-speaking nations.
To maintain this advantage, experts stress the importance of shifting from quantitative learning to qualitative improvements, particularly in real-life communication skills.

South Korea’s English education now stands at a turning point—moving beyond expansion to deep, meaningful transformation.