A new state-of-the-art electronic examination centre was inaugurated on October 22, in Sri Lanka to facilitate Korean language proficiency tests required for employment opportunities in South Korea.
Named the “Korean Language Examination Centre – Ubiquitous-Based Test (UBT)”, the facility was opened under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra.
The initiative follows a decision by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) to adopt a tablet-based examination system, replacing the traditional paper-based format. The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) announced that this transition aims to enhance exam efficiency, accuracy, and capacity.
Developed at the request of HRD Korea, the new centre can accommodate 100 candidates per session and test up to 400 job seekers daily. The tablet-based system will officially be used starting October 23, 2025, with exams continuing until March 2026.
The Korean Employment Program, operated under the E-9 visa category, is based on a 2004 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the governments of South Korea and Sri Lanka. Passing the Korean language proficiency test is a mandatory requirement for Sri Lankan job seekers applying to work in South Korea.
According to the SLBFE, approximately 36,745 candidates are expected to take the Korean language test in 2025. Previously, the exam center was located in Pannipitiya, where online computer-based testing began in 2014. The new UBT facility marks a major step toward digital modernization in Sri Lanka’s overseas employment examination system.
