Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies

The Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies is a 5-year university in Pyongyang, North Korea, specialising in language education. It was split off from Kim Il-sung University in 1964.cite news|url=http://www.minjog21.com/news/read.php?idxno=2404|title=“과학기술중시정책 영향... 외국어 배우기 열풍, 2개 국어 회화 필수”|publisher=Minjog21|last=Yi|first=Jae-seung|date=2007-07-23] It has separate colleges for students of English, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese; the so-called "Ethnic Languages College" offers instruction in a further 18 languages, including French, Spanish, Arabic, Thai, Urdu, Khmer, and, as of July 2007, Polish and Italian. [cite news|publisher=JoongAng Ilbo|date=2007-07-05|accessdate=2007-07-20|title=北평양외대, 폴란드.이태리어科 신설 (Pyongyang Foreign Languages University establishes Polish, Italian courses)|url=http://nk.joins.com/news/view.asp?aid=2950199] The school does not have as high a reputation as those of Kim Il-sung University's foreign languages division, which trains members of the political elite; most graduates go on to become working-level diplomats or work in the intelligence service. [cite news|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6231074|title=North Korea's Confusing Brand of English|publisher=National Public Radio|last=Bowers|first=Andy|date=2006-10-10]

Notable students, faculty, and alumni

* Charles Robert Jenkins, American defector and former English teacher; his daughters Brinda and Mika formerly attended as students [cite news|publisher=Asia Times Online|title=The strange saga of Charles Robert Jenkins|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/FF05Dh05.html|date=2004-06-05|accessdate=2007-07-20|last=Curtin|first=J. Sean]
* James Dresnok, son of American defector James Joseph Dresnok cite episode|title=An American in North Korea|series=60 Minutes|network=CBS Television|credits=Produced by Robert G. Anderson and Casey Morgan; reported by Bob Simon|airdate=2007-07-28]

References