Phone English service surges in popularity

For Lee Yeon-joo, it takes just one phone call and ten minutes per day to improve her English speaking skills.
The 29-year-old office worker converses in English with a Canadian over the phone during weekdays. "Wherever I am, I can talk with an English speaker via my mobile phone. It is a convenient way of sharpening my English skills," she said.
A surging number of people - ranging from working professionals to students - have subscribed to phone English tutorial services as schools and companies are putting greater importance on fluent English.
Starting from last year, big telephone and internet firms have entered the rapidly-growing phone English-lesson service market, which is packed with hundreds of small- and medium-sized firms.
Leading English education institutes such as Samyook Language Institute and Herald Media, owner of The Korea Herald, have also entered the fray.
The revenues of top ten companies exceeded 43 billion won last year, and they are expected to reach 50 billion won this year, according to Spicus, a phone English tutorial service run by SK Communications.
The market is expected to amount to 200 billion won this year, while the English education market is to exceed 40 trillion won, according to the Korean Standards Association.
The nation's big businesses such as Samsung Group have tightened procedures to evaluate English communication skills when recruiting new employees, starting from this year.
English speaking tests have been also added to major English tests such as TOEIC and TOFEL, which are required to enter foreign language high schools, universities and companies.
Brightening prospects for the broader English education market, the new administration led by President Lee Myung-bak also said it will force schools to conduct classes in English language.
"Previously, adults were mostly interested in the service, but an increasing number of elementary school, middle and high school schools are interested in signing up for the service," said Huh Hye-jin, an official of Digital Herald Co.
On Tuesday the company launched an English-language lesson service in which its members discuss current issues with English native speakers over the phone, using daily articles of The Korea Herald, the nation's leading English-language newspaper.
Its service also includes lessons on English conversation and business English.
SK Communication's Spicus has achieved exponential growth.
Spicus has seen 10,000 new subscribers for the last month, one-third of its total members.
The company's monthly revenue also tripled to 250 million won in January and February 2008 compared to March 2007 when it launched the service.
Beginning in February, the firm has offered video English classes, using its popular instant messaging service, Nateon.
KT, the nation's dominant fixed-line carrier, also launched last year's English tutorial service, called "Hello ET," in collaboration with an English education firm, capitalizing on its telephone and internet infrastructure.
LG Dacom, the third-largest fixed-line operator, has also teamed up with Hankook University of Foreign Studies to made in-roads into the market in September last year.
By Jin Hyun-joo (hjjin@heraldm.com)
2008.03.13



Summary>
Starting from last year, big telephone and internet firms have entered the rapidly-growing phone English-lesson service market, which is packed with hundreds of small- and medium-sized firms. The market is expected to amount to 200 billion won this year, while the English education market is to exceed 40 trillion won.
The nation's big businesses have tightened procedures to evaluate English communication skills when recruiting new employees. English speaking tests have been also added to major English tests such as TOEIC and TOFEL. The new administration led by President Lee Myung-bak also said it will force schools to conduct classes in English language.

Oppinion>
Korea is investing a lot of money and time on English, but Koreans are not good at English, especially at speaking because they have little chance to speak in English with a foreigner. Moreover, they are reluctant to speak in English with a foreigner because they are ashamed of mistakes in grammar and pronunciation.
Phone English-lesson service meet the needs of Koreans who are shy but want to practice English through talking with an English speaker via mobile phone without facing each other. And for this, they can practice English using short time.
But this service also has challenges such as expensive cost and qualified English speakers. If an English speaker talks 10 minutes with 6 Koreans per an hour, the speaker can talk with 54 people in 9 hours. And if the speaker’s salary is 3million won, the trainees would pay 60 thousand won at least. One instance, the phone English-lesson service in Spicus(SK telecommunications) costs 70 thousand won 10minustes, 8times per month. And Koreans prefer English speakers from North America, so that the trainees pay more. Phone English-lesson service firms need to seek ways to reduce costs.
The subjects need to be diverse ranging from discussion, hobby, movie, song, to business. And discount on early time or later time will disperse signed-up people.

20600613 전혜진(Jeon, Hyejin)