International Journal Of Literature And Languages
38
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue04 2025
PAGE NO.
38-42
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue04-11
About Korean Language and Its Introduction to
Uzbekistan
Turakulova S.F.
Lecturer of the Department of Korean Philology, Faculty of Oriental Languages, SamSIFL, Uzbekistan
Received:
18 February 2025;
Accepted:
16 March 2025;
Published:
17 April 2025
Abstract:
The Korean language is considered an agglutinative language, meaning that grammatical meaning and
function are altered by adding suffixes to words. This leads to a rich morphology in the language. The Korean
language is the official language of both the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (North Korea) and is one of the oldest and most unique languages in the world. Its origin and
development have a rich and complex history that spans thousands of years. Verbs in Korean are complex and
change according to time, person, number, mood, and other grammatical categories. The Korean lexicon contains
many Chinese loanwords, reflecting the long history of cultural and linguistic interaction with China. Additionally,
the Korean language has unique words and expressions whose meanings cannot always be fully conveyed in other
languages.
Keywords:
Vocabulary, complex, lexical, archaeological, process, cultural, structure, language, concept, word,
grammatic, lexicon, agglutinative language.
Introduction:
The Korean language is the official
language of both the Republic of Korea (South Korea)
and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North
Korea) and is one of the oldest and most unique
languages in the world. Its origin and development
have a rich and complex history that spans thousands
of years. The language's distinctive features,
grammatical structures, writing system, and lexicon set
it apart from other languages, making the learning
process both interesting and complex. There are
several theories about the origin of the Korean
language. The most widespread theory suggests that it
belongs to a distinct language family
—
the Koreanic-
Japonic family. This theory emphasizes the lexical and
grammatical similarities between Korean and
Japanese, although the depth of these similarities and
the historical connections behind them remain a
debated topic. Some researchers point out that the
Korean language may also have some connections to
the Altaic language family, but this theory has not been
sufficiently proven. Therefore, the origin of the Korean
language and its relation to other languages is still a
significant area of linguistic research. Some scholars
believe that the Korean language is an independently
developed language, meaning it does not belong to any
other language family.
Historical development. The historical development of
the Korean language can be divided into three main
periods:
Ancient Period (before the 7th century BCE
–
7th
century CE): During this period, the Korean language
existed only in oral form and was not written down. Its
lexicon and grammar were significantly different from
the modern Korean language. Some features of ancient
Korean have been identified through archaeological
findings and comparison with neighboring languages,
but detailed information about this period is limited.
Medieval Period (7th to 19th century): During this
period, the Hanja writing system (the Korean
pronunciation of Chinese characters) began to be used.
Hanja was not suitable for the Korean language
because it only represented the meanings of words but
did not reflect their pronunciation. As a result, during
this period, the Korean language began to develop its
own distinctive written features. Korean literature
flourished during the medieval period, with poetry,
stories, and other literary works being created.
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
Modern Period (19th century
–
present): In the 15th
century, the Korean script known as Hangul was
created. Hangul is a phonetic writing system that
accurately and simply represents the sounds of the
Korean language. The creation of Hangul had a
significant impact on the development of the Korean
language and helped increase its accessibility. In the
20th century, the Korean language became
standardized, and its grammatical rules were clarified.
The Korean War and the division of Korea led to the
development of two distinct dialects: the North Korean
and South Korean dialects. Today, the Korean language
is studied and continues to evolve worldwide.
Structure and Features of the Language. The Korean
language is considered an agglutinative language,
meaning that grammatical meaning and function are
altered by adding suffixes to words. This leads to a rich
morphology in the language. Verbs in Korean are
complex and change according to time, person,
number, mood, and other grammatical categories.
Word order also plays an important role and is typically
arranged in the Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order.
METHOD
The writing system of the Korean language is Hangul.
Hangul was created in 1446 by King Sejong the Great
and is a logical and easy-to-learn writing system. It
consists of 19 consonants and 21 vowels; whose
combinations represent all the sounds of the Korean
language.
Modern Korean orthography differs from the
traditional script. There are 40 consonants and vowels
in the Korean language, but in this blog, we will focus
on the 24 basic consonant and vowel sounds essential
for learning Korean. While many people write in
Romanized Hangul, it is crucial for learners of Korean to
understand how to write Korean consonants and
vowels. Therefore, it is recommended to learn Hangul
and its basic characters before studying the language,
as mastering Hangul will assist you throughout your
journey of learning Korean.
There are 14 basic consonants in Korean:
ㄱ
,
ㄴ
,
ㄷ
,
ㄹ
,
ㅁ
,
ㅂ
,
ㅅ
,
ㅈ
,
ㅊ
,
ㅋ
,
ㅌ
,
ㅍ
,
ㅎ
. If you are learning
Korean as a new language, these consonants are
essential to your studies. Recognizing these consonants
is important. The Korean alphabet also contains five
double consonants:
ㄲ
,
ㄸ
,
ㅃ
,
ㅆ
,
ㅉ
. These are called
"double consonants" because they are written using
two identical consonant letters. These double
consonants produce a stronger sound. They resemble
some English consonants and can be understood
through various examples. For instance, the "g"
consonant in the English word "goat" can be used to
pronounce these consonants.
There are 10 vowels in Korean:
ㅏ
,
ㅑ
,
ㅓ
,
ㅕ
,
ㅗ
,
ㅜ
,
ㅠ
,
ㅛ
,
ㅡ
,
ㅣ
. Each vowel produces a distinct sound,
and they appear in nearly all Korean words.
The Korean lexicon contains many Chinese loanwords,
reflecting the long history of cultural and linguistic
interaction with China. Additionally, the Korean
language has unique words and expressions whose
meanings cannot always be fully conveyed in other
languages.
Dialects and Accents. Due to the geographical diversity
of the Korean Peninsula, there are several dialects and
accents in the Korean language. The most widely
spoken dialects are the Seoul dialect (South Korea) and
the Pyongyang dialect (North Korea). These dialects
differ in pronunciation, lexicon, and grammar but are
close enough to be mutually intelligible. Other regional
dialects also exist, but their differences are much less
pronounced compared to the Seoul and Pyongyang
dialects. Standard Korean is based primarily on the
Seoul dialect. Let's take a look at the Jeju dialect as an
example.
Jeju Dialect (
제주
방언
- Jeju Bangeon) refers to the
dialect spoken only on Jeju Island, located off the
southwestern coast of South Korea, about a 45-minute
flight from Seoul. The Jeju dialect is one of the hardest
to understand in South Korea, as it has its own unique
language. This makes it difficult for Koreans from
different regions to understand the Jeju dialect. For
example:
•
"Welcome" (
어서
오십시오
) →
혼저
옵서
(means "Welcome" in Jeju dialect).
•
"Please come and see" (
와서
보고
가세요
) →
왕
봥
갑서
(means "Come and take a look" in Jeju
dialect).
•
When you land at Jeju Airport, you will see a
sign with the message
혼저
옵서
, so pay attention to it
the next time you visit Jeju Island. In Jeju, the last two
syllables of words are often combined, changing the
pronunciation. For instance:
•
밥
먹었니
? (Did you eat?) →
밥
먹언
(Jeju
dialect).
•
이거
했어
? (Did
you do this?) →
이거
핸
? (Jeju
dialect).
•
알았어
(I understand) →
알안
(Jeju dialect).
Some examples comparing the standard Korean and
Jeju dialects:
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
40
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
•
여기서
서울에
전화할
수
있지요
? (Can I make
a call to Seoul from here?) →
여기서
서울더레
해집주양
? (Jeju dialect). Here's the translation of your
text from Uzbek to English:
•
Where are you from? (
어디서
오셨습니까
? /
eodiseo osyeotseumnikka?)
"Siz qayerdansiz?"
The Modern State and Prospects of the Korean
Language. Currently, the Korean language is being
studied worldwide, and its popularity continues to
grow. Learning this language is not only important for
cultural exchange but also for developing economic
cooperation. Due to South Korea’s global influence and
its economic development, the Korean language plays
a significant role in international relations. The
development of modern technologies, the internet,
and mass media is helping the spread of the Korean
language.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
At present, countries where Korean is taught as a
foreign language include China, Japan, certain states in
the USA, France, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Paraguay,
Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Ukraine,
Kazakhstan, Vietnam (since 2021, the Vietnamese
Ministry of Education added Korean as a first foreign
language), Indonesia, Laos, India, Sri Lanka, Paraguay,
and many others, including Uzbekistan.
The future of the Korean language is predicted to be
bright. Its study will continue, and its influence will
grow stronger. The study of the language's unique
features and rich cultural heritage makes learning
Korean more interesting and informative. The use of
modern teaching methods and technologies will make
the process of learning Korean more effective and
convenient.
The Korean language stands out for its ancient history,
complex grammar, rich vocabulary, and unique writing
system. Its global popularity is closely tied to South
Korea’s economic and cultural development. The
future of the language is bright, and its study will
continue because it plays an important role not only in
cultural exchange but also in the development of
economic and political relations. The use of modern
teaching methods and technologies will make this
process easier and more interesting.
The Development of Teaching Korean in Our Country.
Korean is one of the most popular foreign languages in
Uzbekistan and has even been included in Uzbekistan’s
second foreign language curriculum. Additionally, the
number of countries accepting Korean as a subject in
entrance exams has been increasing. In 2014, only four
countries accepted it, but last year, the number
increased to 10, including Uzbekistan, Japan, France,
Malaysia, and others.
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the
20th century, significant changes occurred in Korean
education. Western pedagogical methods were
introduced,
and
the
Korean
language
was
standardized. While traditional methods were not
entirely abandoned, several new approaches became
popular.
In large Uzbek cities, there may be independent
language courses teaching Korean. These are
commercial organizations that are not affiliated with
any Korean university. Many Uzbek students pursue
higher education in South Korea. They apply directly to
South Korean universities and study there, not in
Uzbekistan. This reflects an important area of
educational exchange. Although there are no Korean
universities in Uzbekistan, there is considerable
educational cooperation and exchange between the
two countries.
The growing popularity of the Korean language in
Uzbekistan is linked to several factors, all of which are
interconnected and the result of complex historical and
socio-cultural processes. These factors can be
summarized as follows:
Economic and Cultural Influence of South Korea: South
Korea’s rapid economic development and global
influence are significantly visible in Uzbekistan as well.
South Korea’s achievements in electronics, automotive,
cosmetics, and other industries are widely recognized
in Uzbekistan, and this has increased interest in
developing cooperation with the country. As part of
this cooperation, the demand for learning Korean is
rising, especially among those working in business,
tourism, and technology.
Impact of Popular Culture (K-Pop, K-Drama): South
Korea’s popular culture, particularly K
-Pop and K-
Drama films, has spread worldwide, including in
Uzbekistan, which has greatly increased interest in
learning the Korean language. The younger generation
is eager to learn Korean to understand their favorite
songs and actors, as well as to communicate directly
with them. The popularity of BTS, Blackpink, and other
K-Pop groups, as well as Korean dramas, is motivating
many young people in Uzbekistan to learn the
language.
Expansion of Educational Opportunities: In recent
years, opportunities to learn Korean in Uzbekistan have
expanded significantly. Various higher education
institutions and private centers now offer Korean
language courses, and online learning platforms are
also growing. This creates favorable conditions for
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
41
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
those interested in learning Korean. Institutions like the
Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies and the
Tashkent State University of Economics are training
specialists in the Korean language. Korean cultural
centers also organize courses for learning Korean, such
as Inha University in Tashkent. Inha University in
Tashkent (IUT) is a branch of Inha University in Korea. It
offers programs in Computer and Information
Engineering and Logistics. It was established based on
the decision of the first President of Uzbekistan as a
result of cooperation between Inha University in South
Korea and the government of Uzbekistan, aimed at
developing IT leaders. The academic programs at Inha
University in Tashkent are very similar to those at Inha
University in Korea.
South Korean universities also provide extensive
opportunities for students from Uzbekistan. The
competition for university spots is intense because
many students are competing for spots at the country's
most prestigious universities, which offer bachelor’s,
master's, professional, and doctoral degrees. The three
most prestigious universities in South Korea, known as
"SKY," are Seoul National University, Korea University,
and Yonsei University.
Korean higher education traditionally emphasizes
lecture-based approaches, focusing heavily on
memorization and recall. However, recent reforms
have promoted more interactive, student-centered
methods, encouraging critical thinking, problem-
solving, and collaborative learning. Many universities
follow a semester system in their curricula, offering
courses in various subjects.
Many universities in Korea offer scholarships to
international students based on academic ability or
financial need. Additionally, the Korean government
provides two scholarship programs: the Global Korea
Scholarship (GKS) and the Korean Government
Scholarship Program (KGSP). These scholarships cover
living expenses, tuition, and even travel costs. It is
recommended to conduct extensive research on the
cost of education in Korea and apply for scholarships to
help reduce the overall expenses.
The national development priorities greatly influence
the curriculum, with a focus on fields such as science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),
which are considered vital for economic growth. At the
same time, humanities and social sciences also play a
key role, reflecting the importance of preserving
culture and intellectual development. Universities are
increasingly incorporating international perspectives
and collaboration into their curricula, reflecting the
globalization of higher education.
One of the advantages of studying at Korea’s top
universities is the availability of unique programs and
specializations. These universities offer a broad range
of courses in various fields, including business,
engineering, humanities, and social sciences. For
instance, Seoul National University is renowned for its
strong
programs in science and engineering, Yonsei University
is famous for international relations and business
programs, and Korea University offers comprehensive
programs in various disciplines. Familiarizing yourself
with the unique programs and specializations offered
by these universities will help you find the perfect
match for your academic interests and career
aspirations.
The Development of Relations Between Uzbekistan and
South Korea. While the history of relations between
Uzbekistan and South Korea is relatively short, over the
past decade, cooperation between the two countries
has significantly developed. This growth in cooperation,
along with increased economic and cultural exchanges,
has heightened interest in learning the Korean
language. This interest is particularly high among young
people and is linked to the influence of popular culture
and the processes of globalization.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the growing popularity of the Korean
language in Uzbekistan is a complex process linked to
South Korea's economic and cultural influence, the
widespread impact of popular culture, expanded
educational opportunities, and the growth of tourism.
This process contributes to the strengthening of
relations between Uzbekistan and South Korea and
enhances cultural and economic exchanges between
the two countries. Learning the Korean language not
only allows for mastering the language but also
provides an opportunity to become familiar with
Korea's rich and ancient culture.
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