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One out of three staff at the Ministry of Finance and Economy has such poor English skills that they have difficulty talking with foreigners on the phone, a survey of 184 ministry staff found last December.
The ministry submitted the survey report to Grand National Party lawmaker Yim Tae-hee on Wednesday. Some 34 percent of respondents said that they ask a coworker to speak for them or just hang up when they get a call from a foreigner.
Only three percent said that they can ask and answer questions related to their jobs when they receive a call from a foreigner, and 17 percent said that they can ask simple questions like who a foreign caller is looking for and put him through to the person he is asking for.
Some 45 percent said they speak enough English to tell a foreign caller the phone number of someone who can help them.
When asked if they need interpreters to participate in international conferences and receive foreign visitors, 30 percent said they have considerable difficulties without interpreters and 15 percent said their English is so poor that it is pointless for them to attend such events without interpreters.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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