[lg policy] Korea: [Park Sang-seek] English as second official language in Korea

[Harold Schiffman]

[Park Sang-seek] English as second official language in Korea



Published : 2016-06-20 16:26
Updated : 2016-06-20 17:15
There are 67 sovereign states which recognize English as their official
language. Among the 67 states, 36 countries use English as the only
official language, while 31 countries recognize English as one of the
official languages.

Those countries recognizing English as the only official language are
either the countries whose majority of the people are English-speaking
ethnic groups or are former colonies of the U.K. and are populated by one
dominant language group or equally numerous language groups. Those
countries recognizing English and one or more native tongues as official
languages are those countries that were colonized by more than one Western
state and are populated by one dominant native language group or more
equally numerous native language groups.

In the contemporary world, English has become a national and global lingua
franca. It is used as the oral and written means of communication in most
international governmental and nongovernmental organizations; international
business transactions; academic and research institutions; and cultural,
sports and entertainment activities and forums.

On the eve of the new millennium, I wrote an article titled “21st Century
Resolution: Open Nationalism” in a local English newspaper. In the article,
I proposed that English should be considered as second official language of
Korea. But this idea has not been discussed in any public forum.

My proposal is not to replace Korean as an official language but to
recognize English as second official language, while keeping Korean as the
primary official language. Korea has an urgent need for English as second
official language. Fortunately, Korea has advantages over other non-Western
countries because most former Western colonies are faced with great
difficulties in adopting English as an official language mainly because
they are multi-ethnic countries and different ethnic groups will not
tolerate any other native or foreign language as an official language.

The Korean people are a homogenous ethnic group and in possession of one of
the best languages in the world. South Korea is now an economically
developed country and is willing to accept Western civilization. In these
two respects, Korea has not been able to overcome the dilemma created by
modernization and Western civilization. Korea has been making all-out
efforts to catch up with Western developed countries but has not been
successfully competing with them on equal terms. The language is one of the
barriers. On the other hand, Korea has been accommodating the Western way
of life without anticipating the conflict between the Western and Korean
ways of life. Koreans have eagerly and gluttonously accepted the
materialistic aspects of the Western way of life but have ignorantly
rejected or misinterpreted essential Western values such as individualism,
rationalism and the rule of law. As a result, their communalistic way of
life has turned into a highly selfish and greedy one, while keeping intact
their traditional values such as authoritarianism and irrationality.

If all Koreans become proficient in English, they will be fully able to
understand the true meaning of Western values. As far as Korea is
concerned, the debate on whether non-Western states should or can pursue
complete Westernization, partial Westernization, homogenization or
coexistence is no longer a realistic one. The question is how fast it can
accommodate Western values. Western civilization is the most powerful
moving force for modernization and is becoming a universal civilization.

>From a practical and short-term perspective, Korea would benefit greatly by
adopting English as second official language. First, all government
officials could learn more, better and more quickly about their
counterparts in the international arena. They would also have a better
chance of playing a leading role at international conventions and
organizations and to enhance not only the prestige of Korea but also its
influence on important international issues. The Koreans who are fluent in
English would have better opportunities to be employed by international
governmental and nongovernmental organizations and could contribute more to
world peace and development. On the other hand, Korean NGOs could be
internationalized.

Second, Korean business organizations could get more involved in joint
programs and activities with their foreign counterparts. It would also be
easier for them to gain new knowledge and information more easily as well
as play a leading role in any capacity.

All foreign business organizations operating in Korea, whether they are
from English-speaking countries or not, would also benefit from Korea’s two
official languages policy. The same would be true of international
governmental and non-governmental organizations operating in Korea.

Third, Korean academic, arts and sports organizations could more actively
participate in their respective international conferences and activities.
In particular, the Korean sightseeing business will greatly benefit from
this dual official language policy. Finally, Korean educational
institutions would benefit greatly. It could produce more competent and
internationalized students and attract more foreign students and scholars.
Most importantly, the educational gap between students from rich and poor
families would be greatly reduced because all students would learn both the
dual language and non-language courses at all levels of schools.

There are two objections to this dual official language policy. One is that
the dual language policy is likely to make people less nationalistic and
more sycophantic toward Western countries and peoples and ultimately lose
their national identity. This criticism is a serious one. But as long as
Koreans place more importance on the Korean language than any foreign
language and maintain their ethnic homogeneity, it will not weaken the
Korean national identity. The next important question is how it should be
implemented. I suggest the following:

First, government, business, arts, academic and research organizations can
start the dual language policy sequentially rather than simultaneously.

Second, the starting grade of teaching both Korean and English can be the
first grade of elementary schools. On the other hand, the secondary and
tertiary educational institutions could offer some non-language courses in
both Korean and English, and students would allowed to choose them.
However, no public educational institutions should offer non-language
courses only in English unless it is necessary due to the nature of the
specific courses.

If Korea accelerates the civilization of Korean society through a dual
language policy, it will be able to civilize its society faster than Japan
or Singapore. By doing so, Korea will become the first non-Western advanced
state (a democratized, developed and civilized state).

By Park Sang-seek

Park Sang-seek is a former rector of the Graduate Institute of Peace
Studies, Kyung Hee University, and the author of “Globalized Korea and
Localized Globe.” --Ed.

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160620000937

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