Briefing Session

2023 TOPIK IBT in Hong Kong

April 1, 2023

KIM, Chan Woong

Educational Researcher
National Institute for International Education
 Contents(Rundown)
1. Introduction to TOPIK IBT
2. Exam Structure
3. Who, Where, and When
4. TOPIK Result Handling
5. TOPIK IBT Practice Test
6. IT tech based digital TOPIK(by Naver Corp.)
7. TOPIK IBT demonstration(by NSD Corp.)
8. Questions and Answers
 1. Introduction to TOPIK(1/5)
• Test Of Proficiency In Korean(TOPIK)
launched in1997 is the Korean
proficiency test run by the Korean
government.
• TOPIK is officially recognized around the
world by schools, universities, government
institutions and companies for academic
credits, college entrance, certificate
prerequisite, employment, etc.
 1. Introduction to TOPIK(2/5)
• TOPIK paper test has been operated for
decades by KIS, Sai Wan Ho.
• HKSAR Education Bureau decided to include
Korean as one of the regular foreign
language subjects of Hong Kong college
entrance exam(HKDSE Cat. C)
• Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment
Authority(HKEAA) officially recognizes
TOPIK score for HKDSE Category C Korean
subject assessment.
 1. Introduction to TOPIK(3/5)
• The Number of Test-takers by year
2019 2020 2021 2022
Global 375,871 218,869 330,016 350,665
HK(15-18 y/o) 2,104(200) 989(71) 2,750(150) 2,800

• The Number of Test Venues by country

2019 2020 2021 2022
Countries 83 42 75 81
Venues 282 189 264 306
 1. Introduction to TOPIK(4/5)
• Types and Levels of TOPIK
– TOPIK I (level 1-2, PBT 100 min, IBT 85 min)
• Test for basic Korean learners
• Listening(30 questions), Reading(PBT 40q, IBT 30q)
– TOPIK II(level 3-6, 180 minutes)
• Test for intermediate/advanced Korean learners
• Listening(PBT 50q, IBT 40q), Reading(PBT 50q, IBT
40q) and Writing(PBT 4q, IBT 3q)
– TOPIK Speaking(level 1-6, 30 minutes)
• 6 questions
 1. Introduction to TOPIK(5/5)
• TOPIK II
– TOPIK II is a test to measure the Korean language proficiency
of intermediate to advanced learners.
– Official score report will be issued when test-taker score
meets the requirements of level 3 to level 6.
Test Type Fail Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

TOPIK II PBT Below 120 120~149 150~189 190~229 230~300

TOPIK II IBT Below 204 204-261 262-330 331-411 412-600

– Candidates who achieve level 3 or higher are eligible for

entering universities in Korea.
– HKDSE uses TOPIK II for Cat. C Korean Subject Assessment.
2. TOPIK II IBT Exam Structure(1/9)
Components Questions Weight Time(minutes)
1. Listening 40 33.3%(100 points) 45

2. Reading 40 33.3%(100 points) 50

3. Writing 3 33.3%(100 points) 55

• Listening, Reading
– Multiple choice questions
• Writing
– 3 questions
– 1 sentence completions
– 2 essays
(200-300 letter long for level 3-4, 600-700 for level 5-6)
 2. Exam Structure(2/9)
• Contents of Evaluation Range
Level Content of Evaluation
3 · Having no difficulty in language functions needed in living an everyday
life, using various public facilities and maintaining social relationships
· Able to understand and express familiar, specific social topics in units of
paragraphs
· Able to understand and express basic characteristics of colloquial and
written Korean

4 · Able to perform functions needed in using public facilities, maintain

social relationships and carry out normal functions
· Able to understand plain content in the news or newspaper columns
· Able to fluently understand and express social and abstract themes
· Able to understand and express social and cultural content based on
knowledge of widely used idiomatic expressions and representative
Korean culture
 2. Exam Structure(3/9)
• Contents of Evaluation Range
Level Content of Evaluation
5 · Able to express language functions needed in research and work in
fields of expertise to a certain extent
· Able to use language skills in unfamiliar themes such as politics,
economics, society, and culture
· Adequately able to use language in official and unofficial context, and in
colloquial and literary context

6 · Able to fluently and perfectly express language functions needed in

research and work in fields of expertise
· Able to use language skills in unfamiliar themes such as politics,
economics, society, and culture
· Has no difficulty in language functions of language expressions to a near-
native extent
2. Exam Structure(Listening) (4/9)
Inferential Comprehension Factual Comprehension
Questions · to choose matching picture - to choose matching
· to choose right action content/chart/table
· to choose matching - to choose correct answer
situation/participants/places - to choose correct content
· to choose matching content that follows
before and after conversation - to choose a right topic of
· to choose speaker’s attitude conversation
· to choose speaker’s - to choose the reason of
intention/purpose conversation
Contents · private/social conversation, news/report,
of announcement/notice, media conference/conversation,
Passage interview, debate, instruction/lecture, official statement,
documentary, public talk, etc
Question · multiple choice
Types
2. Exam Structure(Reading) (6/9)
Inferential Comprehension Factual Comprehension
Questions · to choose main content · to choose topic
· to choose correct order · to choose word(s) in blank
· to choose location to put · to choose matching
sentence in a passage content
· to choose writer’s · to choose content that
intention/purpose/attitude doesn’t match
· to choose character’s · to choose words with
attitude/emotion similar meanings
Contents · notice, advertisement, chart, essay, explanatory essay,
of editorial, article, novel, review, book review, etc
Passage
Question · multiple choice
Types
 2. Exam Structures(Writing) (8/9)
Types of Passage Evaluation
Questions Type
·to complete Narrative ·task performance
Essay
sentences - complete sentences appropriate for given
tasks
·language ability
- use vocabulary and grammar correctly
·to write short Expository ·task performance
Essay
article using - perform given task well
presented - compose article related to a given topic
information - express given topic divergently
·to write article Persuasive ·structure of text
on a given Essay - write clearly and logically
topic - organize paragraphs according to contents
·language ability
- use vocabulary and grammar accurately
- write formal article according to intended
purpose
 3. Who, Where, and When
• Exam Administrators
– PBT: KIS in H.K.(www.topik-hk.org)
– IBT: HKEAA (www.hkeaa.edu.hk)
• Exam Venues
– PBT: Korean International School (Sai Wan Ho)
– IBT: HKEAA Assessment Centre(s)
• Annual Schedule
– PBT: 3 exams in April, July and October every year
– IBT: (trials) June 17, August 19
(regular) Nov. 18 (exam fees to be decided)
 4. TOPIK results
• for HKDSE candidates
– HKEAA regulates HKDSE Category C subject
– HKEAA is a regional agency of TOPIK IBT
– Only TOPIK scores taken in Hong Kong can be
accepted for HKDSE Cat C Korean
• for all TOPIK candidates
– TOPIK results can be retrieved at www.topik.go.kr
(please join the website to keep track of your exam
history)
– TOPIK IBT has equal credibility with TOPIK PBT as
it is produced and assessed in exactly same
rigorous processes.
 5. TOPIK IBT Practice Test
• Practice Test
– NIIED provides any regular education institutions
interested in with free and unlimited TOPIK IBT
Practice Test service (annually renewed by
application)
– 1 set of each type of exams are ready for the
practice test (TOPIK I IBT, II IBT and Speaking)
– Education institutions can support their students to
prepare TOPIK IBT well during their regular
courses using the practice test.
– Consult the Korean Cultural Center to get the
service at your institute.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q1. Implementation schedule in HK
– NIIED and HKEAA have reached an
agreement of hosting TOPIK IBT in HK as of
2023
– Trials and regular TOPIK IBT exams will be
launched and administered by HKEAA
– Trials: June 17, August
– Regular: November 18
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q2. How to test the writing section?
– TOPIK IBT test-taker will type writing answers on a
computer
– 35 computers will be equipped with Korean
keyboards at HKEAA San Po Kong Assessment
Centre for trial exams in June and August 2023.
– NIIED and HKEAA are under discussion whether to
use alphabet stickers or independent Korean
keyboards for massive IBT exams to be delivered in
Hong Kong
– We recommend practicing Korean typing on the
free typing practice website such as
hancomtyping.com
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q3. Taking notes during the IBT exam
– Test-taker can take a note on a computer
during the TOPIK IBT exam.
– Underlining or highlighting is not available
currently but opinions from Hong Kong test
takers will be reflected in the next updates.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q4. Difficulty compared to TOPIK PBT
– TOPIK IBT is conducted according to the
exact same questions and scoring standards
as TOPIK paper based test.
– As a result of analyzing the scores of test
takers for the 2nd TOPIK IBT test in 2022, it
was revealed that the test difficulty was no
different from that of TOPIK PBT.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q5. Sample test for practice
– The first TOPIK IBT exam will be launched on
November 18 and it is not possible to provide
sample questions to the public before the official
launch.
– A set of TOPIK IBT sample tests will be ready by the
end of 2023 after regular TOPIK IBT exam.
– In the meantime, NIIED provides regular education
institutions with free TOPIK IBT practice test service.
– HK education institutes including CUSCS, HKU
SPACE, and Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong
are being ready to provide practice tests for their
Korean course students.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q6. Full transition timeline to the IBT
– The NIIED is currently working on the
digitalization of TOPIK as a part of the Korean
Ministry of Education’s ‘Digital Transformation in
Education Plan’.
– TOPIK IBT will be officially launched in
November 2023 after several trials.
– However, Paper-based TOPIK will continue for
years until the NIIED is confident with concrete
proof that TOPIK IBT well exceeds and prevails
in a region.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q7. Fairness of the IBT test
– When it comes to testing validity, NIIED has
been trying its best with top priority.
– Currently, test-takers are requested to go to the
exam venue(s) on a testing date.
– TOPIK IBT home edition is also under
development to maximize testing convenience
for test-takers and it will be officially launched
when NIIED is confident to use AI proctoring
systems on top of human invigilators'
supervision to sustain the quality of the exams.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q8. Reviewing Previous Questions
– Listening: not allowed. Once passed, cannot
be returned.
– Reading and Writing: Previous questions
can be reviewed manually by test-takers
within testing time.
※ TOPIK IBT has no break time in between
sections.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q9. Announcement of IBT test results
– According to 2023 TOPIK IBT annual schedule, it
takes about 4 weeks to release TOPIK IBT test
results.
– Each exam sheet is evaluated by 3 highly trained
grading professionals before submitting it to the
TOPIK scoring committee.
– NIIED and Korean Tech companies are doing R&D
to develop an AI rating system to shorten the
assessment period for test-takers’ convenience.
– NIIED is working to improve the IBT system so that
test takers can check their grades within one week.
 5. Questions and Answers
• Q10. Exam Venues
– HKEAA is a regional agency responsible for
securing exam venues for test-takers’
convenience.
– HKEAA has 4 assessment centres in Hong Kong.
And an extra centre is under construction.
• San Po Kong: 17 Tseuk Luk Street
• Lai King: Lai King Estate, Kwai Chung
• Tsuen Wan: No.7 Shing Mun Rd
• Tai Hing: No.3, Tai Hing Estate, Tuen Num
• Hung Hom: will be added in the future