The Department of Korean Language and Literature was founded in 1983 for the purpose of cultivating individuals who have a solid understanding of the Korean language and literature and contribute to cultural creation activities in our society. The master’s degree program was founded in 1990, and the Ph.D. program was founded in 1992. In 1998, a combined master’s and the Ph.D. program was opened, equipping the department with everything it needs to provide curricular training that is knowledge-rich and systematic. In 1996, the Korean Language Education major was installed in the Graduate School of Education, accompanied by the founding of the Teacher Education Center that offers programs to train and reeducate middle- and high-school teachers. In addition to its systematic theoretical study of Korean language and literature, the department has a proud tradition (since 1987) of visiting historic sites related to Korean literature every year and conducting surveys on Korean dialects and oral literature.