DOCSLIB.ORG

HAGWONS and THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS in GEORGIA's GROWING KOREAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY by KEISHA J. NALTY (Under Th

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
HAGWONS and THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS in GEORGIA's GROWING KOREAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY by KEISHA J. NALTY (Under Th HAGWONS AND THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA’S GROWING KOREAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY by KEISHA J. NALTY (Under the Direction of Diane Napier) ABSTRACT For many years, there have been a growing number of ethnic supplemental education programs in Koreatown, which may positively impact the college attendance and success of Korean children, even those who may not have access to high-quality urban public education and whose parents struggle to survive economically. This study explored the nature of the educational and cultural experiences of Korean American students in supplemental education programs that serve as educational and cultural institutions as well as local equivalents to hagwons and are transplanted from the home country of South Korea. Such programs could potentially set Korean American students on a better course of survival and success compared to other minority students while creating extremely successful co-ethnic networks and similar strategies could be used in a variety of communities throughout the Untied States. Though designed separately, the key aspects of such initiatives create a promising supplemental system that can be useful for other ethnic minorities throughout the country. INDEX WORDS: South Korea, Education; Supplemental Education, Language Acquisition, Entrance Examinations, Hagwon HAGWONS AND THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA’S GROWING KOREAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY by KEISHA J. NALTY B.A.,The University of Florida, 2000 M.Ed., The University of Georgia, 2001 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2008 © 2008 Keisha J. Nalty All Rights Reserved HAGWONS AND THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA’S GROWING KOREAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY by KEISHA J. NALTY Major Professor: Diane Napier Committee: Derrick Alridge Jo Blase Myra Womble Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia December 2008 iv DEDICATION For my dad, Alfred George Nalty, who has been my inspiration from the beginning. His strength, determination, and wherewithal have provided me with the ability to take on this challenge as well as the tenacity to complete it. This dissertation is dedicated to the man who always had the answers (as far as I knew) but more importantly, was always willing to find out (for me) when he was not sure. He is my hero and my angel. I did it on September 14, 2008 because of you. I dedicate this process to my mother, Merna Nalty, who nurtured me through some of its most trying times with love, patience, strength, and support. I love you both endlessly! v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have to thank God for providing me with the drive and the strength to successfully complete this academic challenge. To everyone who has assisted me in completing this portion of my academic career by sharing time, opinions, and listening when I needed it most, thank you. I am blessed to have come this far and I know I could not have completed this without the support of those around me. To Dr. Diane Napier, the chair of my committee, for her guidance, patience, and time throughout my dissertation process. To my dissertation committee, Dr. Derrick Alridge, Dr. Jo Blasé, and Dr. Myra Womble, for their assistance and willingness to serve on this committee. Thank you for your flexibility and support. To everyone who read and provided feedback, I am incredibly grateful (Geri). I thank all the people who listened when I needed it most (Natalie). I appreciate those who took the time to make me laugh when I was stressed (Scott). I am blessed to have come this far and I know I could not have completed this without all of your support. Words will never be able to explain the feeling of triumph that I am experiencing as I close the door on this chapter of my life. However, I look forward to the new opportunities that await me on the other side of this experience. I am living our dream and it has all been worth it! vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 The Research Problem...............................................................................................3 Statement of the Problem ..........................................................................................3 Background to the Research Problem .......................................................................4 Purpose of the Study................................................................................................12 Research Questions .................................................................................................12 Rationale of the Study .............................................................................................13 Definitions of Terms ...............................................................................................15 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................17 Dissertation Overview.............................................................................................19 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .............................................................................21 Historical Background of South Korea ...................................................................21 Historical Development of Education in South Korea............................................23 The Development of Contemporary Education in South Korea .............................25 Supplemental Education Programs in the Untied States.........................................37 vii The Achievement Gap in American Public Schools among Minority Students .....51 Asian Americans: The Model Minority ..................................................................55 Korean Americans and Supplemental Education Programs....................................65 Summary .................................................................................................................74 3 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................76 Purpose of the Study................................................................................................76 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................76 Research Questions .................................................................................................77 Research Design......................................................................................................78 Theoretical Perspective ...........................................................................................79 Methodology ...........................................................................................................83 Setting......................................................................................................................87 Participant Sampling ...............................................................................................94 Data Management Procedures.................................................................................96 Data Sources............................................................................................................96 Data Collection Procedures.....................................................................................97 Data Analysis Procedures......................................................................................102 Roles of the Researcher, Biases, Limitations ........................................................112 Ethical Considerations...........................................................................................116 Summary ...............................................................................................................116 4 SOUTH KOREA: HOME COUNTRY EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT....................118 South Korea’s Education System..........................................................................119 Minjok: An Exceptional Academy........................................................................126 viii Characteristics and Features of Korean Hagwons.................................................140 5 A KOREAN SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IN GEORGIA..........153 JAE Supplemental Program ..................................................................................153 JAE Summer Enrichment Program .......................................................................162 Characteristics of the Teachers, Parents, and Students .........................................165 Role of Supplemental Education Programs in the Korean Immigrant Community..........................................................................................................178 The Perspectives of Students, Teachers, and Korean American Parents Involved in Supplemental Education in Gwinnett County..................................194 Summary ...............................................................................................................231
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Using the MMORPG 'Runescape' to Engage Korean
    Using the MMORPG ‘RuneScape’ to Engage Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Young Learners in Learning Vocabulary and Reading Skills Kwengnam Kim Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Education October 2015 -I- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2015 The University of Leeds and Kwengnam Kim The right of Kwengnam Kim to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. -II- DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP The work conducted during the development of this PhD thesis has led to a number of presentations and a guest talk. Papers and extended abstracts from the presentations and a guest talk have been generated and a paper has been published in the BAAL conference' proceedings. A list of the papers arising from this study is presented below. Kim, K. (2012) ‘MMORPG RuneScape and Korean Children’s Vocabulary and Reading Skills’. Paper as Guest Talk is presented at CRELL Seminar in University of Roehampton, London, UK, 31st, October 2012. Kim, K. (2012) ‘Online role-playing game and Korean children’s English vocabulary and reading skills’. Paper is presented in AsiaCALL 2012 (11th International Conference of Computer Assisted Language Learning), in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 16th-18th, November 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Living in Korea
    A Guide for International Scientists at the Institute for Basic Science Living in Korea A Guide for International Scientists at the Institute for Basic Science Contents ⅠOverview Chapter 1: IBS 1. The Institute for Basic Science 12 2. Centers and Affiliated Organizations 13 2.1 HQ Centers 13 2.1.1 Pioneer Research Centers 13 2.2 Campus Centers 13 2.3 Extramural Centers 13 2.4 Rare Isotope Science Project 13 2.5 National Institute for Mathematical Sciences 13 2.6 Location of IBS Centers 14 3. Career Path 15 4. Recruitment Procedure 16 Chapter 2: Visas and Immigration 1. Overview of Immigration 18 2. Visa Types 18 3. Applying for a Visa Outside of Korea 22 4. Alien Registration Card 23 5. Immigration Offices 27 5.1 Immigration Locations 27 Chapter 3: Korean Language 1. Historical Perspective 28 2. Hangul 28 2.1 Plain Consonants 29 2.2 Tense Consonants 30 2.3 Aspirated Consonants 30 2.4 Simple Vowels 30 2.5 Plus Y Vowels 30 2.6 Vowel Combinations 31 3. Romanizations 31 3.1 Vowels 32 3.2 Consonants 32 3.2.1 Special Phonetic Changes 33 3.3 Name Standards 34 4. Hanja 34 5. Konglish 35 6. Korean Language Classes 38 6.1 University Programs 38 6.2 Korean Immigration and Integration Program 39 6.3 Self-study 39 7. Certification 40 ⅡLiving in Korea Chapter 1: Housing 1. Measurement Standards 44 2. Types of Accommodations 45 2.1 Apartments/Flats 45 2.2 Officetels 46 2.3 Villas 46 2.4 Studio Apartments 46 2.5 Dormitories 47 2.6 Rooftop Room 47 3.
    [Show full text]
  • English As the Gatekeeper in South Korea: a Qualitative Study About Mother's Perspectives and Involvement in Their Hic Ld's English Education Young Jin Lee St
    St. Cloud State University theRepository at St. Cloud State Culminating Projects in English Department of English 6-2018 Linguicism? English as the Gatekeeper in South Korea: A Qualitative Study about Mother's Perspectives and Involvement in Their hiC ld's English Education Young Jin Lee St. Cloud State University Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/engl_etds Recommended Citation Lee, Young Jin, "Linguicism? English as the Gatekeeper in South Korea: A Qualitative Study about Mother's Perspectives and Involvement in Their hiC ld's English Education" (2018). Culminating Projects in English. 123. https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/engl_etds/123 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of English at theRepository at St. Cloud State. It has been accepted for inclusion in Culminating Projects in English by an authorized administrator of theRepository at St. Cloud State. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Linguicism? English as the Gatekeeper in South Korea: A Qualitative Study about Mother’s Perspectives and Involvement in Their Child’s English Education. by Young Jin Lee A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of St. Cloud State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in English: Teaching English as a Second Language June, 2018 Thesis Committee: James Robinson, Chairperson Michael Schwartz Kyounghee Seo 2 Abstract The rising demand to learn English has become a common phenomenon in many parts of the world. South Korea is no exception. English has become the most important foreign language in a largely monolingual society that rarely uses English in its daily context (J.S.-Y.
    [Show full text]
  • The Diaspora of Korean Children: a Cross-Cultural Study of the Educational Crisis in Contemporary South Korea
    University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2007 The Diaspora of Korean Children: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Educational Crisis in Contemporary South Korea Young-ee Cho The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Cho, Young-ee, "The Diaspora of Korean Children: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Educational Crisis in Contemporary South Korea" (2007). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1244. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1244 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE DIASPORA OF KOREAN CHILDREN: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF THE EDUCATIONAL CRISIS IN CONTEMPORARY SOUTH KOREA By Young-ee Cho B.A Economics / East Asian Languages and Cultures, Indiana University, 1986 M.B.A. International Marketing, Indiana University, 1988 Dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Montana Missoula, MT Summer 2007 Approved by: Dr. David A. Strobel, Dean Graduate School Dr. Roberta D. Evans, Chair School of Education Dr. C. LeRoy Anderson Dept of Sociology Dr. John C. Lundt Dept of Educational Leadership & Counseling Dr. William P. McCaw Dept of Educational Leadership & Counseling Dr. John C.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pennsylvania State University
    The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School Department of Curriculum and Instruction FOREIGN ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SOUTH KOREA: NEGOTIATING BODIES, DRESS, TEACHER SELVES, AND PROFESSIONALISM A Dissertation in Curriculum & Instruction by Michael Chesnut 2016 Michael Chesnut Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2016 The dissertation of Michael Chesnut was reviewed and approved* by the following: Kimberly A. Powell Associate Professor of Education (Language & Literacy Education) and Art Education Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Gail L. Boldt Special Signatory Professor of Education (Language & Literacy Education) Suresh Canagarajah Edwin Erle Sparks Professor in Applied Linguistics, English, and Asian Studies Gerald K. LeTendre Department Head, Education Policy Studies Jamie M. Myers Professor of Education (Language & Literacy Education) Rose Mary Zbiek Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT This study examines the identities of individuals from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland who travel to South Korea and teach English as a foreign language. These “foreign English teachers” work in widely varying contexts ranging from private language academies, to public schools, to universities and teach a similarly wide variety of students and English language classes. As these teachers go about their daily lives and teach English, they construct stories of who they are as teachers, develop understandings of their roles within educational institutions, and shape and are shaped by various “teacher selves”. Additionally, these teachers, both initially when they arrive in Korea and later as they develop common daily routines, negotiate new experiences of gender and develop new understandings of gender as part of their larger social worlds and within educational institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Hell Joseon' Is More Like It As Economy Flounders
    LUND UNIVERSITY • CENTRE FOR EAST AND SOUTH-EAST ASIAN STUDIES ‘Hell Joseon’ - Tales from a South Korean Youth Trapped Between Past and Present Author: Johan Cornelis Schoonhoven Supervisor: Erik Mobrand Master’s Programme in Asian Studies Spring semester 2017 Abstract This thesis takes its outset in the newly coined expression ‘Hell Joseon’ used by the youth in South Korea. ‘Hell Joseon’ is a comparison between today’s society and the pre-modern Joseon Dynasty. By asking “what are the main characteristics of life in ‘Hell Joseon’ from a youth perspective?”, I arrive at the following conclusion. Life in ‘Hell Joseon’ is highly characterized by discrepancies between rich and poor, old and young, men and women, global and local. This is a peculiar result of Korea’s double-compressed modernity which derives from a colonial legacy, top-down modernization in the post-war era and condensed transition to a neoliberal world economy, also known as the second modernity. Therefore, traditional and (post)modern elements coexist in Korea’s society, and is partly the reason why the youth are now drawing references to the pre-modern Joseon Dynasty. Life in ‘Hell Joseon’ thus implies frustrations over high unemployment rates, a new ‘spoon class’ class division, lack of social mobility, an education fever and a downright “gender war”. More than that, it shows traces of apathy in the fact that the young generation is giving up marriage, children, jobs, hope, housing etc., but also traces of transformation since the ‘Hell Joseon’ discourse have made the youth take it to the streets, last seen in the mass demonstrations against now impeached President Park Geun-hye.
    [Show full text]
  • Korean Apartment Residents' Experiences of Local Social Relationships and Their Effects on Mental Health and Well-Being
    Place, People, and Health: Korean Apartment Residents' Experiences of Local Social Relationships and Their Effects on Mental Health and Well-being Naeun Gu A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2019 Reading Committee: Robert Mugerauer, Chair Jeffrey Hou Christopher Campbell Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Built Environment © Copyright 2019 Naeun Gu University of Washington Abstract Place, People, and Health: Korean Apartment Residents' Experiences of Local Social Relationships and Their Effects on Mental Health and Well-being Naeun Gu Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Robert Mugerauer Department of Urban Design and Planning How can neighborhood environment affect residents’ mental health and well-being? In the broad context of understanding this mechanism, this dissertation focuses on the residents’ social relationships based on the neighborhood and their effects on mental health and well-being. Concentrating on the experiences of the apartment residents in Pangyo, Seoul metropolitan area, Korea, this study discusses and seeks answers to the following questions: 1) what are the nature/characteristics (essences) of experienced local social relationships of residents in the neighborhood which consists of multi-layered high-rise apartment complexes; 2) how do spatial characteristics of such residential settings contribute to the experiences of local social relationships; and 3) how do residents’ experiences of local social relationships from their everyday living environment contribute to their mental health and well-being. Through a phenomenological research, including dialogical-conversational interviews and thematic analysis, the discourse of twenty-eight women residents about their years of experiences in the neighborhood were explored.
    [Show full text]
  • Overseas Koreans, Language, and Ethn
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Identity, Second Language Acquisition, and Investment: Overseas Koreans, Language, and Ethnolinguistic Community Membership A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics by Christopher Joseph Dykas 2014 © Copyright by Christopher Joseph Dykas 2014 ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS Identity, Second Language Acquisition, and Investment: Overseas Koreans, Language, and Ethnolinguistic Community Membership by Christopher Joseph Dykas Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics University of California, Los Angeles, 2014 Professor Katrina Daly Thompson, Chair In this thesis I explore the intersection of identity and second language acquisition, in the form of investment (Kanno & Norton, 2003; Norton, 2000; Pavlenko & Norton, 2007), and as it pertains to the experiences of gyopo, or “overseas Koreans” (ethnic Koreans from abroad), living in Korea. In doing so, I hold three goals: (1) to uncover connections between overseas Koreans and their affinity for an imagined, transnational Korean community; (2) to outline ways in which overseas Koreans negotiate their identities as members of this community, particularly in regard to issues of language; and (3) to link this understanding of identity negotiation with consequences for Korean-language learning and teaching. In examining interviews I conducted with gyopo living in Korea between 2007 and 2010, I find that within a context of ethnolinguistic ii essentialism—one that links race, ethnicity, appearance, and language—overseas Koreans find their authenticity as ethnic Koreans challenged. Whereas mixed-race gyopo note that they are often looked at as “foreigners” in Korea, and thus little knowledge of Korean language and culture is expected of them, “full” Korean gyopo note that they are often understood to be Korean, and their Korean abilities are looked at as insufficient vis-à-vis an imagined native standard.
    [Show full text]
  • Emerging Consumerism and the Accelerated 'Education Divide': the Case of Specialized High Schools in South Korea
    Emerging Consumerism and the Accelerated 'Education Divide': The Case of Specialized High Schools in South Korea Hyu-Yong Park University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA Abstract This paper criticizes the neoliberal shift in Korean education toward educational consumerism by analyzing the boom in Specialized High schools (SHs). For its theoretical background, this paper discusses the issues of freedom, equal opportunity, and choice in education, and investigates how neoliberal consumerism has been encouraging the boom in SHs in Korea. To support its arguments, the paper provides a brief overview of the historical background of Korean education vis-à-vis the growth of private education and the emerging parental demand for educational choices. Next, the case of the SHs is analyzed in terms of how the shift creates the vicious circle of 'education divide.' Finally, discussions follow to emphasize that educational consumerism may cause detrimental effects on educational equity by bringing about an educational crisis rather than an opportunity. Reflecting on the case of SHs, this paper argues that educational consumerism aggravates the education divide and accelerates social polarization. Keywords: Neo-liberalism, Educational consumerism, Educational equity, Educational choice, Specialized High schools, Education divide Introduction Currently, the boom of Specialized High schools (henceforth, SHs) is one of the most sensitive educational issues in Korea. By 2006, there were 57 SHs nationwide, comprised of 29 Foreign Language, 18 Science, 6 Independent,
    [Show full text]
  • Foreign Teacher Networks and Community Folklore in Sout
    Narrating Waegook Identity: Building Transitory Foreign-Teacher Community through Folklore in the Republic of Korea by © Kelly Roubo A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Folklore Memorial University of Newfoundland October 15, 2019 Abstract With increasing global mobility, itinerant expatriate groups – whether of teachers, retirees, students, or backpackers – constitute transitory folk groups easily overlooked by folklore studies. This thesis is an ethnographic study of a transient folk group of foreign teachers in Suncheon, Republic of Korea, and of how narratives about their experiences inform their sense of identity within that community. My observations of such groups in the Republic of Korea include working as a foreign English teacher in the 1990s, conducting fieldwork as a participant-observer from 2006-2008, and through additional research in 2017-2018 via the Internet. As a former foreign teacher, this work is auto-ethnographic in nature, as my time in Korea has informed not only my approach to this research, but who I am today. Alan Dundes famously suggested a folk group may be comprised of as few as two people (1965, 2). Folk groups can also coalesce for brief periods, even the duration of a conversation, wherein the content of narratives facilitates construction of shared identity, as in the “transitory community” of foreign teachers I studied. With little else in common, foreign teachers share narratives – of their work, the challenges they face, and personal experiences of life abroad. This creates bonds and equips them with vernacular knowledge specific to that community.
    [Show full text]
  • Working in South Korea As an English Teacher Thesis
    CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE: WORKING IN SOUTH KOREA AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ADULT EDUCATION BY PETER JOUN APPROVED BY: ADVISOR: Carole Roy DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINER: Erin Careless EXTERNAL EXAMINER: Allan Quigley EXAMINER’S INSTITUTION: Penn State University ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY ANTIGONISH, NOVA SCOTIA APRIL 2015 1 Abstract Despite having the highest rates of suicide in the OECD and huge disparities in income, the recent recognition of South Korea as an advanced industrial country has been widely heralded as cementing proof of the success of globalization policies in the wake of Korea’s division and destruction during the Korean War. Rising with South Korea’s economic success has been a strong push to make English a major part of South Korea’s educational curriculum. Exams testing for English proficiency are now required in order to apply for work or study at South Korean governmental agencies, companies, universities, and selective secondary schools. The numerous jobs generated by the proficiency exam-driven English as a Foreign Language (EFL) industry attract English- speaking expatriates from around the globe. However, this lucrative endeavor is not without its issues. The roots of these problems appear to be largely systemic and intimately related to the political environment. This study seeks to explore and better understand the motives which impel expatriates from western countries to go to South Korea to teach English as well as the challenges they face when they arrive there, and how the phenomenon of the booming EFL industry is situated within the unresolved military conflict between the US/ROK and North Korea.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hangul Characters
    The Korean language is classified as a member of the Ural-Altaic family (other members of this family include the Mongolian, Finnish, and Hungarian languages.) Until the early 1400s, most documents were written in classical Chinese characters (known in Korean as Hanja). As the idiographs are difficult to learn, only the educated people could read and write. King Sejong, the 4th ruler of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), set up a special committee of scholars in 1443 to create a new writing system specifically suited to the Korean language. The result was Hangul (meaning 'the one script'). It originally contained 28 symbols, although 4 have dropped out of use. The alphabet has 10 vowels and 14 consonants. The consonants represent the simplified outlines of the parts of the mouth and tongue used to pronounce them. The vowels are associated with elements of the philosophy of the Book of Changes. In 1994, Discovery magazine described Hangul as the most logical language writing system in the world. The simplicity of Hangul led Korea to become one of the most literate countries in the world. U.S. novelist Pearl Buck said that Hangul is the simplest writing system in the world and likenedKing Sejong to Leonardo da Vinci. Even though Hangul is a system of phonetic symbols, it is categorized as new level of feature system, the first and the only in the world. On Oct. 1, 1997, UNESCO designated Hunminjeongeum as world archive property. Koreans commemorate the creation of Hangul each year on October 9. The Hangul Characters Before you begin learning the language, you should take some time to practice writing Hangul.
    [Show full text]