This examination system was introduced by the South Korean government in 1997 and conducted by a branch of the Ministry of Education of the country.
The test is offered six times annually (Jan, Apr, May, Jul, Oct, Nov) within South Korea and less often to people studying Korean in other countries.
[5] In 2012, more than 150,000 candidates took the TOPIK, and the total number of people who have taken the test since its date of inception surpassed 1 million.
[6] In previous years, the test was divided into four parts: vocabulary and grammar, writing, listening, and reading.
Depending on the average score and minimum marks in each section it was possible to obtain grades 1-2 in beginner, 3-4 in intermediate and 5-6 in advanced S-TOPIK.
Able to carry out daily routine, with fair use of public facilities and able to socialize without significant difficulty.
Able to understand and use the expressions related to even unfamiliar subjects of politics, economics, society, and culture.
The test consists of mostly multiple-choice questions; however, the TOPIK II level writing examination will require a short-answer.
[11] In addition to Korea, TOPIK is available in the following countries and districts: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Romania, Rwanda, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, USA, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.[12].
In India, TOPIK test is conducted in 5 cities - New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ranchi, and Manipur.