Jan. 8th 2006 : North Chides South for Not preserving Purity of Hangul

Hi guys, how are you doing? How was the second day of the new year? Are you still doing a good job? I bet you did it 'cause you have one more day to break your resolution! ( please remeber 작심삼일!) I didn't know I am the one to prepare the topic. ㅡㅡ; I'm getting older for sure... Anyway I prepared it so I hope we can talk and have fun with it! See you on Sunday ( I am sure you are dying to do it!)     North Chides South for Not preserving Purity of Hangul    North Korean officials are said to be displeased with the South's openness in using Hangul to characterize English or Chinese words and recommended South Korea discontinue using them. In an editorial titled "Culture of Language" published in the December 9 edition of the Minju Choson, the official paper of the North Korean govenment, they characterized such usage as toxins that destroys the character and purity of the Korean language" and called for a ban on the use of the borrowed words.      This came following a visit by a Senior North Korean Cabinet Member, Kwon Ho-ung, to Jeju Island for an inter-Korean Cabinet talk(남북 내각 회담) held earlier this month. He expressed discomfort at seeing signboards displaying such logos and English-only signs around the southern island community.     Unification Minister Chung Dong-young tried to explain that the use of the logos was to facilitate doing business with foreigners in the new era of globalization. But Kwon was not satisfied and expressed his disapproval by saying that "He wasn't sure that they were in their own country, seeing all the English signboards being displayed everywhere." He added that "It would be better to put up signboards for foreigners and another one just for Koreans. "    The editorial goes on and lists "four don'ts" for establishing the proper use of a language, which it said is a powerful weapon of revolution. Without it, the editorial added, it is impossible to build a communist culture that fits in the times of "songun, "referring to the North's military-first ideology. Regional dialects also came under attack with the editorial saying that "Excessive use of regional dialects creates confusion in a language, hampers communication and degenerates personality."    The editorial also stressed that  " Slang, idioms and vulgarity should be avoided as they can cause misunderstanding  and sew distrust among people." Since the national division more than half a century ago, the Korean language in the South and North has developed in a different manner, creating a wide gap in speech patterns for both countries.      This isn't the first time the North has criticized the South for openly letting languages of foreign permeate everyday life. Kim Il-sung, the leader and founder of the communist North, ordered officials in his government to find Korean words to replace those of Chinese or Western origin during the 1960s.    In consideration of the growing difference in languages, the two Koreas agreed to officially support a joint effort to publish a bi-Korean dictionary during ministerial talks in September this year. Civic groups are currently working on the project. According to a report from the Korea Institute for National Unification(통일연구원) in 2003, there is now more than 2400 terms that are pronounced or spelled differently when comparing the official language from the two countries.        1. Summarize the article.    2. What do you think of using borrowed words in Korea?       3. Do you think we need a ban on the use of the borrowed words?    4. Do you have an example of the terms that are pronounced or spelled differently when comparing the official language from the two countries?    5. Do you have any idea to keep Hangul from other characters?   P.S. 혹시 오타 있으면 댓글 꼭 달아주세요..^-^ 미리미리 수정해주는 정도의 센스!