An Examination of the Precarization of Korean Language Educators in Higher Education

This study analyzes the reality of university Korean language education workers through the concept of the precariat. Focusing on private universities in regional areas, Korean language instructors and non-tenure track professors are exposed to structural insecurity, including short-term contracts, low wages, and institutional marginalization. These conditions lead to confusion in professional identity, overwork, and constraints on professional development. Based on semi-structured interviews, five categories were identified: institutional instability, commodification of education, identity disruption, overwork and emotional labor, and limitations in career and expertise. These findings reveal that Korean language educators occupy a structurally vulnerable position. Accordingly, institutional reform and policy measures are needed to restore the public value of higher education.