The new center facilitates language proficiency examinations required for employment in South Korea and introduces a smart device-based testing system using tablets. The initiative follows the decision of the Human Resources Development Service (HRD) of Korea to shift Korean language testing to a more advanced, tablet-based format starting from 2025.
The Korean government has provided the necessary tab devices, enabling the new center to accommodate 100 candidates per session and 400 candidates per day.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) implements the Korean Employment Program under the E-9 visa category, based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2004.
The Korean language examination, introduced online in Sri Lanka in 2014, was previously conducted in Pannipitiya. The new Talahena center expands capacity and convenience for applicants.
A total of 36,745 job candidates are scheduled to sit for the 2025 Korean Language Test at the new facility between October 23, 2025, and March 2026.
The Ubiquitous-based Test (UBT) represents the latest evolution in testing technology, allowing exams to be conducted flexibly using smart devices such as tablets, replacing traditional paper-based and computer-based methods.
