Pyongyang Foreigners School
평양외국인학교 | |
 Pyongyang Korean School for Foreigners 2012 | |
| Students | c.40-50 |
|---|---|
| Location | , |
| Language | English |
 | |
| Pyongyang Foreigners School | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 평양외국인학교 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 平壤外國人學校 |
| Revised Romanization | Pyeongyang Oegugin Hakgyo |
| McCune–Reischauer | P'yŏngyang Oegugin Hakkyo |
The Pyongyang Korean School for Foreigners (Korean: 평양외국인학교) is a primary school in Pyongyang, North Korea, exclusively for foreign children. It has also a facility for foreign children studying on secondary school level. The school is located at the Munsudong diplomatic compound in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK. The children who attend are mainly dependents of the diplomatic community and the United Nations agencies in the country, although also children of foreign businessmen, mainly Chinese, have been joining the school. All teachers are Korean. The language of instruction is English. Local textbooks in English are used. English and mathematics are the two major subjects, with Korean language, music, art and physical education as minor subjects; from class 3 onwards also science is provided as minor subject. In the early 1990s the official name in English of the school was "Pyongyang Foreigners School",[1] which is the straight translation of the name of the school in Korean (평양외국인학교), which did not change.
History
[edit]Pre-DPRK history
[edit]A school with the same name in Korean, but the English language name "Pyeng Yang Foreign School" operated as an American Presbyterian mission school (founded in 1900 CE), and was closed in 1940 with the greater militarization of Korea and antagonistic attitude towards foreigners by the then Japanese government. The missionary faculties involved continued their legacy from 1958 CE in another missionary school called Taejon Christian International School.[2] Mrs. Ruth Bell Graham, wife of evangelist Billy Graham, attended the Pyeng Yang Foreign School in the 1930s.[3] The buildings of this school were destroyed during the Korean War, and the site was used to build the Embassy of the Soviet Union, the present Russian Embassy complex.[4] The Russian Embassy also includes a Russian school open for all foreign children of the diplomatic community, with Russian as the language of instruction. As 2025 CE, Russian school in Pyongyang had 25 students and 10 teachers (all are Russian citizens)[5].
Recent history
[edit]Between 1991 CE and 2015 CE, the school doubled in size. As of 2015 CE, the school had around 40-50 students.[6]
The school follows the North Korean curriculum.[6]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Pyongyang foreigners school". December 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "평양외국인학교 계승한 대전외국인학교, 새 캠퍼스 신축이전". Kukmin Ilbo. 2012-07-09.
- ↑ "Ruth Bell Graham Concludes Historic Return Trip To North Korea". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
- ↑ Justin Corfield, Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang, Anthem Press 2013, p.188, entry 'Russian Embassy'
- ↑ "Самоанализ работы общеобразовательной школы при Посольстве России в КНДР в 2024-2025 учебном году" (PDF). Sh-kndr-midru.gosweb.gosuslugi.ru. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- 1 2 Ahn, J. H. (2015-12-04). "School life of Pyongyang Foreigners' School revealed in video | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
External links
[edit]- site that references the Pyeng Yang Foreign School[link removed]
- Wikimapia location of the school
- Media story regarding a meeting with female teachers of the school
- Instagram photo collection Archived 2023-04-13 at the Wayback Machine
- Media story about the life of foreigners who reside in Pyongyang, including attendance at the school.
