Korean is spoken by about 81 million people and is the official language of both North and South Korea.
Korean is a Koreanic language native to the Korean Peninsula and spoken by approximately 81 million people. It is the official language of both South Korea and North Korea, where it has different names: Hangugeo in the South and Chosŏnŏ in the North. Korean is also spoken by Korean communities in northeastern China, including Yanbian and Changbai, as well as by Sakhalin Koreans and Koryo-saram communities in Central Asia. Since the early 21st century, the global spread of Korean popular culture has increased international interest in the language. Korean identity is closely connected to regional, historical, and political distinctions. North–South standard differences have developed since the establishment of separate governments, particularly in pronunciation, vocabulary, and writing practices, although the standards remain largely mutually intelligible. Regional dialects within each country may show greater variation than the differences between the two national standards. Jeju is closely related to Korean but is generally not mutually intelligible with it. Korean uses Hangul, an alphabet developed in the 15th century by King Sejong to promote literacy, while North Korea, South Korea, and overseas communities maintain distinct language policies and cultural associations.
Korean is spoken by about 81 million people and is the official language of both North and South Korea.
The language is distributed beyond Korea among Korean communities in northeastern China, Sakhalin, and Central Asia.
South Korea calls the language Hangugeo, while North Korea generally calls it Chosŏnŏ, reflecting different national identities and historical naming traditions.
North–South differences include pronunciation, vocabulary, and writing conventions, but the standards remain largely mutually intelligible.
Hangul is the principal writing system and is a major symbol of Korean linguistic and cultural identity.
Jeju is a closely related Koreanic language that is not mutually intelligible with standard Korean.
The South Korean name for the Korean language, written 한국어.
The North Korean name for the Korean language, written 조선어.
The Korean alphabet developed in the 15th century to make literacy more accessible.
The language family that includes Korean and the closely related Jeju language.
Korean communities in parts of Central Asia who preserve Korean cultural and linguistic traditions.
A closely related language of Jeju Island that is generally not mutually intelligible with standard Korean.
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