Korean language education needs for international students’ local settlement and proposals for textbook design

This study investigates the Korean language learning needs of international students preparing for long-term settlement in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region and proposes directions for developing an advanced-level textbook that reflects these needs. The findings indicate that students prioritize economic and cultural factors in settlement, highlighting the need for expanded instructional content on employment-related tasks and culturally oriented materials. Based on these results, the study suggests incorporating detailed everyday and public-sector Korean, region-specific content including dialect education, strengthened employment modules, and extensive use of authentic documents in textbook development. The study is limited by its focus on students from a single institution; broader learner cohorts should be examined in future research.