South Korea's official language is Korean, but English is also taught in schools as a second language. The country has invested heavily in English education, ranking 6th globally for non-native English-speaking countries. Private language institutes offer additional classes to supplement public school education, and there is a significant population of English-speaking expatriates living and working in the country. The tourism industry has also made efforts to cater to English-speaking tourists, with many tourist spots having English-speaking staff and signs. However, challenges may arise when dealing with older Koreans who do not speak or understand English or due to cultural differences affecting communication.