The Seoul Metropolitan Government will establish a "town" in October that aims to give Koreans an opportunity to improve their English skills and experience the everyday life and culture of English-speaking countries.
Seoul officials said yesterday that the city would remodel four former dormitory buildings of the Korea Exchange Bank into housing similar to that in English-speaking nations, and create the town on four acres of property in Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, and southeastern Seoul.

It will include an airport, hotel and bank styled after those in America or England and its streets will be designed to look like those in New York or London. The dormitories will include living quarters, lecture rooms and convenience facilities such as a drug store, library and post office.

The buildings can house up to 400 people, who will be divided into three groups according to their English fluency. All town "employees" ― from bank tellers to restaurant employees ― will be native English-speaking foreigners.

75% of Seoul residents are lack of English speaking ability .................. 21/12/2003

Three out of four Seoul residents can't speak English, according to a survey by Seoul Metropolitan City.
The survey of 1,000 people over 20 years old found that 74.2 percent find that it is hard to communicate in English or can hardly speak the language.
Only 1.5 percent of the respondents said they are good at communicating in English, while 4.7 percent have no difficulty speaking the language. Moreover19.6 percent said that they can speak basic English but they still have trouble fully understanding English conversation.

More than half of those surveyed, in other words, the 50.3 percent of them had received courses on English conversation, while 58.3 percent said they feel pressure to improve their English skills.
About 87 percent said that they feel the overall English ability of South Koreans should be improved, and 91.6 percent supported Seoul City's policy to encourage English use.
Respondents also thought that the Seoul city government should play a role in enhancing residents' English conversation abilities.

Moreover, it is impossible to improve their English with short period time.
For example, even, they have been received courses on English, they still had problem with communications with others.
Therefore, "it is really important that they need to plan for long-term from their early ages", said Mr. Yong Seog Kang, director of the Oz International Group. Moreover, if it is possible, it is great that they (early ages) can have experience new culture and English learning in English background countries.