GKS Becomes Gateway to Life in Korea for Uzbek Scholar

Language Training and Cultural Ties Help Build Career at SK Telecom, Family, and Future in Korea

Published August 11, 2026, 7:00 am KST

Editor's note: As Korea intensifies efforts to attract and retain global professionals, the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) program plays an important role in bringing international students to the country. This is the sixth in an interview series that follows the journeys of GKS alumni, offering insight into how their experiences reflect the opportunities and challenges shaping Korea's evolving global workforce.

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When Sodikov Normatjon began exploring scholarship options from Uzbekistan, he already had an older brother studying in Korea. That early window into Korean university life pointed him toward the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) and made the prospect of moving abroad feel, if not easy, at least less uncertain.

Funded by the Korean government and administered by the National Institute for International Education under the Ministry of Education, GKS covers tuition, airfare, and living stipends for international students pursuing degree programs at Korean universities. The program has grown in prominence as Korea contends with a shrinking working-age population, prompting policymakers to expand pathways for skilled foreigners to remain in the country after graduation.

"GKS was a life-changing opportunity for me," Normatjon said during an interview with The Korea Times at the newspaper's office in Seoul on July 24. "Studying abroad can bring financial and cultural uncertainties, but the scholarship took away much of that burden and allowed me to focus fully on my studies."

Since arriving in Korea in 2018, the program has helped Normatjon learn Korean, build a career, and start a family. Beyond financial support, the scholarship's Korean-language training and cultural programs gave him an early foundation for adapting to life in Korea and connecting with people around him.

"When I first came to Korea, I couldn't speak any Korean," he recalled.

A yearlong language program at Silla University in Busan helped him develop his Korean proficiency while exposing him to the country's culture. He then went on to study computer engineering at Kumoh National Institute of Technology in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province.

Throughout his undergraduate years, Normatjon continued to adapt by building relationships with Korean students through university exchange programs and socializing with peers in his department.

Language as the Foundation

For Normatjon, language proficiency is the single most critical factor for international students who want to build a life in Korea beyond their studies.

"Language comes first," he said. "Learning Korean helps you understand the country and its culture more deeply and, most importantly, communicate with the people around you. I think that's the foundation for taking the next step in studying, working and living here."

His Korean skills proved especially valuable during the transition from university to the workplace. After graduating, Normatjon joined SK Telecom as a product planner, where he has spent the past three and a half years working on customer-facing and AI-related services. SK Telecom, Korea's largest mobile carrier, has been expanding its portfolio into AI platforms and digital services, placing employees like Normatjon at a growing intersection of telecommunications and software development.

He credits Korean classmates with helping him navigate the competitive job search, reviewing his applications and practicing with him for interviews.

"They helped me a lot with interview preparation, from going over potential questions with me to conducting mock interviews," he added.

Adjusting to Corporate Korea

Adapting to Korean workplace culture presented another set of challenges. Having never worked in Uzbekistan, Normatjon began his first full-time job with little sense of what to expect from corporate life.

A senior colleague suggested he watch "Misaeng: Incomplete Life" (2014), a widely popular Korean drama about office life, to better understand the country's working environment.

"I watched it several times," he said. "It helped me understand Korean workplace culture, and my colleagues also helped me a lot as I adjusted."

His years in Korea were not only about adapting to a new culture — he also took the initiative to introduce his own heritage to Koreans. During university, Normatjon regularly visited local middle and high schools to deliver special lectures on Uzbek culture, a commitment he maintained for nearly four years. He also presented a global education program during Gyeongbuk Global Week in 2021.

"During university, I regularly visited local middle and high schools to give special lectures on Uzbek culture," he said. "I did that for nearly four years, and it was a meaningful opportunity to share my country's culture with Korean students."

Building a Family and a Future

Normatjon has since built a life in Korea that extends well beyond his studies and career. Now a father, he lives with his wife and infant child and hopes to continue raising his family in a country he describes as safe and comfortable.

"Now that I have a family, I'm thinking not just about my own future, but theirs as well," he said. "Korea has the infrastructure and living environment where I feel I can raise my child and build a stable life."

Reflecting on his journey, Normatjon sees studying abroad as an experience that can reshape a person's future, with GKS providing the support needed to turn that opportunity into something lasting.

"GKS gave me that opportunity, and I believe that if you make the most of your studies and the connections you build, it can open up a new future," he added.

Source: The Korea Times