Although it is generally agreed that English education in Korea has improved grεatly since its beginning in 1983, there are still many important areas that have pε:rsistent problεms ， and the proflεssion of English teaching is faced with some emerging issues. English education has progressεd both quantitatively and qualitatively, sincε English bεcarnε a required school subjεct in elementary school in 1997. The teachers’ and students‘ general English proficiεncy havε al50 improved. However, there arε still many teachers whosε English ability Iεavεs much to be dεSlfεd. Also, students’ losing confidence and interest in English is anothεr persistent problem. The society’s change also poses challenges to the English teaching profession This paper discusses these improvemεnts and pεrsistent problems and emεrging issues in English education in Korea

I. INTRODUCTION
II. PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT
　1. Quantitative and Qualitative Expansion of English Education
　2. The Improvement of Students' English Proficiency
　3. The Improvement of English Proficiency Among Teachers
　4. Increased Use of ICT in English Education
　5. The Growth of Academic Research and Activities
　6. Changes in the 1990s
　7. Foci of Attention Since 2000
III. PERSISTENT PROBLEMS
　1. Incompetent Teachers
　2. Students Losing Confidence and Interest
　3. Initiation of Policy Making by Outsiders
IV. SOCIAL CHANGES AND EMERGING ISSUES
　1. An Increasing Number of Students Going Abroad
　2. An Increasing Number of Koreans Traveling Abroad
　3. Native-Speaker Teachers Outnumbering Korean English Teachers
　4. English Teaching and Testing Businesses Overwhelming School Education
　5. Higher Expectations of the People and Society
V. CONCLUSION: A CHALLENGE TO ELT PROFESSIONALS
REFERENCES

• Oryang Kwon(Seoul National University)