South Korea will run a program for teaching K-pop songs and dance moves to foreigners interested in Korean culture at its overseas cultural centers, the government said Monday.

The "K-pop academy" is scheduled to open gradually at 20 Korean cultural centers in 18 countries across the world by August, starting with the Korean Cultural Center in Shanghai on Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said in a release.

The countries that will have the academies include China, Thailand, India, Spain, France, Mexico, Turkey, the United States, Germany, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The academy will also offer foreigners coming to learn K-pop chances to see Korean TV series and films, taste Korean food and experience trendy Korean make-up and nail art firsthand to help them better understand Korean culture, the ministry said.

"Overseas 'hallyu' fans will have a chance to learn their favorite K-pop songs and dances from South Korea's top-level teaching staff at the K-pop academy," Park Younggoog, chief of the Korean Culture and Information Service affiliated with the South Korean culture ministry, said in a press release. He referred to the Asianwide boom of Korean pop culture.

"The KCIS will help people around the world better understand Korea through various programs for experiencing Korean culture," he added. (Yonhap)