A new electronic examination center equipped with modern facilities, including smart devices such as tablets, was officially opened today (22) to facilitate Korean language proficiency tests required for employment in South Korea.

Named the “Korean Language Examination Center – Ubiquitous-Based Test (UBT)”, the center was inaugurated under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra.

The Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) has decided to implement a new tablet-based exam method for the Korean language proficiency test, moving away from traditional paper-based testing, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said in a statement.

At the request of HRD Korea, the new center has been established to increase capacity and efficiency in conducting these exams starting in 2025, with the aim of accommodating a larger number of candidates in each session.

At the new facility, 100 job seekers can sit for the exam in a single session, and up to 400 candidates can be tested per day.

Under the E-9 visa category, the Korean Employment Program is operated in Sri Lanka by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the governments of South Korea and Sri Lanka in 2004.

Sitting for the Korean language proficiency test is mandatory to obtain employment opportunities in South Korea. By 2014, Sri Lanka commenced conducting these language exams online using computer-based methods.

Previously, the exam center was operated in a building located in Pannipitiya.
In 2025, a total of 36,745 job seekers are expected to sit for the Korean language test. These examinations are scheduled to be held at the new center starting tomorrow (23) and will continue until March 2026.