Korean Job Discussion Forums

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

University cites need for Chinese skills
Korea University said yesterday that a test on Chinese characters will become a graduation requirement for students entering this year. The students can take the test at any time during their stay at the school. "Proficiency in Chinese characters is essential for understanding the Korean language." He said large business groups, such as Samsung and SK, have recently begun looking at Chinese character proficiency in their employment criteria.
JoongAng Ilbo (November 24, 2004)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200411/23/200411232226147409900090409041.html

Does another language make a different language "essential" for understanding it? Would King Sejong be happy to attend Korea University?

During his reign, King Sejong always deplored the fact that the common people, ignorant of the complicated Chinese characters that were being used by the educated, were not able to read and write. He understood their frustration in not being able to read or to communicate their thoughts and feelings in written words. In the preface of its proclamation, King Sejong states, "Being of foreign origin, Chinese characters are incapable of capturing uniquely Korean meanings. Therefore, many common people have no way to express their thoughts and feelings. Out of my sympathy for their difficulties, I have created a set of 28 letters. The letters are very easy to learn, and it is my fervent hope that they improve the quality of life of all people."
History of Hangul. The Sigma Institute
http://www.sigmainstitute.com/koreanonline/hangul_history.shtml

Korean Overseas Information Service
http://www.korea.net/korea/kor_loca.asp?code=A020302

mithridates · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:27 pm Post subject:

That makes sense. A lot of people can't get their head around the fact that hanja is not a foreign language, but still helps with learning Chinese. It's certainly not one or another. I remember learning Japanese way back when, and I had gone to a restaurant in China Town in Calgary with my textbook on the table. The waiter noticed it and said "Oh, you're learning Chinese!"
"Actually I'm learning Japanese right now."
"No no, that's Chinese. I know."
"All right then, what does this say?" - said I, showing him a sentence.
"I don't know..."

I think a basic knowledge of hanja should be a requirement in most universities around the world though. Not too many, but I think people could do with a general introduction as to how hanja are made and what some of the radicals mean. There's just too much Chinese everywhere and I think a country deprives its workforce of a valuable tool by not making more efforts to teach it.

Also, what would King Sejong think if he knew that in seven centuries his countrymen would be spending all sorts of money to learn a language spoken by people who live on the eastern corner of a small rainy island in the Atlantic? Things change.

Lastly, hanja isn't that difficult for Koreans, just annoying.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

And, Korean businesses should be required to use Chinese on their public signs.

mithridates · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:35 pm Post subject:

?? No...

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Why not? They use English.

mithridates · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:41 pm Post subject:

You said required. They can use hanja if they like. I might if I had a business. With a business it's usually best to have up to three names - a Korean one, an English one that is easy to remember, and one with hanja if there isn't one already hiding behind the hangul. Otherwise Chinese people will just put on phoenetic hanja to represent the sound, but which don't leave as strong an impression.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Is Chinese a foreign language in Korea? Are Chinese characters Korean?

Billboards Written in Only English Against the Law
In its ruling on the case in which Korean language-related organizations and Korean language scholars filed a compensation lawsuit against Kookmin Bank (KB) and Korea Telecommunications (KT) for causing mental damage to those who love the Korean language by writing companies' names only in English on their billboards, the Seoul Central District Court said, "Those companies broke a law stating that outdoor billboards should be written both in a foreign language and Korean,..." The current outdoor billboard-related laws require billboards be written in Korean as well if they are written in a foreign language. Korean language scholars including Nam Young-shin and Korean language-related organizations such as the Korean Language Association and the King Sejong Foundation filed the lawsuit.
by Choi Kyoung-un
Chosun Ilbo (August 12, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200408/200408120042.html

Court rules English-only street and TV ads illegal
Several Korean language institutes and professors filed a lawsuit in November 2002 insisting the companies broke the law and hurt the nation's pride by not also using Korean.
By O Youn-hee
The Korea Herald (August 13, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/08/13/200408130029.asp

kylehawkins2000 · Joined: 08 Apr 2003

I always assumed that Hanja was used by Koreans because of the cultural connections to China. I assume there are certain phrases and ideas which are more simly stated using a common Chinese character, than by providing a description of the word in Hangeul. If there is not a simple translation in Korean then it makes since to use the Hanja as long as it is commonly known. The Korean newspapers for instance are full of Hanja.