Various information can be accessed through the development of the Internet and technology, and various foreign languages are included. Due to the rampant use of various foreign languages, there is also a problem of poor communication. To solve this problem, the National Institute of Korean Language supports the proper usage of the Korean language and maintains a comprehensive dictionary of refined language. Since 2021, the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education has been carrying out the ‘Rewriting Korean Language’ project to awaken Linguistic purism. The ‘Rewriting Korean Language’ project is an activity that converts foreign words, Sino-Korean vocabulary, and abbreviations, which are commonly used in everyday life, into pure Korean. Examples of words guided to the ‘Korean rewriting’ project are ‘mind map’ refined into ‘thinking trees,’ ‘mechanical pencil’ refined into ‘press pencil,’ and ‘parcel’ refined into ‘waiting boxes.’ Refining a foreign language that interferes with Korean communication is suitable for effective communication. However, some refined words feel far-fetched. In addition, it is unnecessary to refine words that do not have problems with communication in Korean in daily life. Where is Korea’s language policy going now? It is necessary to think about whether we do not embrace various languages because we want effective communication.
In the past, France had a power comparable to Britain’s. However, it slowed the growth of language and culture by implementing an exclusive language policy that insisted only on pure French from the mainland. On the other hand, English has grown into a world language through a policy of accepting and embracing various languages. We can think about how Korean language policy should go through the examples of English and French. Currently, Korean language policy is neither inclusive nor exclusive. In the future, rather than actively converting foreign words, Sino-Korean vocabulary, and abbreviations into pure Korean language, I hope the Korean Language will become a language that can embrace words that are not a problem in communication as they are.
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