Using Official Korean Textbooks: Self-Study with Sejong Korean E-Books, Audio and Workbooks

When searching for official materials to study Korean on your own, you may encounter similar names such as Sejong Korean, Sejong Institute Korean and workbooks. A useful starting point is to put together one main textbook at your level, a workbook from the same edition and level, and the audio for those books. This gives your study a clear sequence.

The King Sejong Institute Foundation currently lists the 2022 revised edition of Sejong Korean and its level-specific workbooks in its official learning materials guide. NuRi King Sejong Institute provides access to e-books and listening materials from each book's detail page. Using Sejong Korean 1A as an example, here is how learners overseas can explore a book and continue practising independently.

Decide whether to start with Hangul or basic sentences

If you are learning the Korean alphabet for the first time, you can begin with the introductory course on the NuRi King Sejong Institute learning roadmap. The roadmap includes Sejong Institute Korean Introduction and links to lessons. Sejong Korean 1A also includes an introduction to Hangul from printed page 12.

If you can read basic sentences, open the contents and first unit of a beginner textbook. Sejong Korean 1A starts with introductions, then covers objects and actions, shopping, time and weather, and weekend activities. Checking whether you can make sentences about familiar subjects can help you choose where to begin.

If you have studied Korean before but are unsure of your starting level, try the official Korean diagnostic assessment. It offers beginner and intermediate assessments covering listening and reading. The results page suggests a textbook level to guide your study.

Connect the textbook, workbook and audio

Even when the explanations and examples in the textbook seem clear, completing or writing answers in the workbook can reveal where you get stuck. Mark those points and return to the explanation and related audio. Connect the explanation, sound and practice within a single unit as one sequence instead of progressing through several books at once.

How to open the e-book and find the audio

On NuRi King Sejong Institute, go to Learner → Textbooks and select Sejong Korean (2022), or use the official detail links above. Check the book name and level, then choose E-Book → View under Learning Support to open the e-book in a new window. The Sejong Korean 1A e-book opened without a login when checked on October 26, 2026.

For the audio, choose Listening Material on the same detail page. The textbook lists 기본교재_1A_음원.zip, and the workbook lists 익힘책_1A_음원.zip. The download button requires a login, so sign in to your NuRi King Sejong Institute account to use it. Saving the files in separate folders for the 1A textbook and 1A workbook also makes it easier to locate audio for the same unit.

Check each book's detail page for the formats it offers. The two 1A books checked list an e-book and an audio ZIP, while the PDF tab says that no file is available. If you need a printed copy, use the purchasing information on the detail page.

Working through the first unit

Unit 1 of Sejong Korean 1A begins on printed page 35. It combines country and occupation vocabulary with 이에요/예요 and 은/는 to practise introductions. The viewing sequence at the top of the e-book includes the cover and other pages, so use both the printed page number in the contents and the number shown on the page when navigating.

First, look at the pictures and vocabulary and choose the country and occupation expressions you need for your introduction. Then read the sentence-pattern explanations and find where those expressions appear in the dialogue. When listening to the audio, begin by matching sounds to letters while looking at the book. Next, cover the sentences and check what you can hear. Replay difficult sections in short chunks.

Then replace the textbook characters' information with your own. The following example was written for this article to demonstrate the practice method.

> 저는 린이에요. 베트남 사람이에요. 대학생이에요.

Record your three-sentence introduction and listen to it alternately with the textbook dialogue. Check whether your sentence endings are clear and whether you pause too much between words. Finally, complete the corresponding workbook unit and compare your work with the model answers. For incorrect answers, return to the relevant vocabulary and sentence patterns in the textbook. After reading the correct answer, close the book and say or write the same sentence again.

An example routine: five 30-minute sessions

If you have limited time to study alone, divide one unit across several sessions. The following is an example schedule for connecting the textbook, audio and workbook.

Before moving on, check whether you can express yourself in the situation covered by the unit. For an introductions unit, try stating your name, country and occupation and giving short answers to familiar questions. Setting a small task like this for each unit helps you identify what to revisit when studying on your own.

Official sources

• King Sejong Institute Foundation: Korean language and culture learning materials — Current textbook listings, level-specific supplementary materials and available formats.
• NuRi King Sejong Institute: Sejong Korean 1A, Sejong Korean Workbook 1A — Textbooks copyrighted by the National Institute of Korean Language; official e-books, contents and audio information.
• Learning roadmap, Korean diagnostic assessment.

Official materials and access screens checked on October 26, 2026.