Learning Korean

Video Transcript

(Note: This transcript has been edited for readability.)

"When you meet with your counterpart, let's say you're meeting with Lieutenant Colonel Kim. Lieutenant Colonel in Korean is 'Jungnyeong.' We call at the end '-nim'; '-nim' is the respectful letter that you always put. Teacher'-nim' [is] like teacher, [but] not just teacher. Teacher itself is 'seonsaeng.' [Plus] '-nim,' or 'gyosu-nim' [professor'-nim']. Something-something'-nim' is respectful of that person. So 'Jungnyeong' is Lieutenant Colonel, then 'Jungnyeong-nim,' or if it's a Colonel, 'Daeryeong-nim.' Call the person's name and rank in Korean, start the conversation, but you cannot talk about business in Korean. It's not necessary because they all have translators. So start with calling the Korean's rank and name in Korean, and your own name and rank in Korean, and bring your translator."

A South Korean national discusses the value of speaking Korean during interactions.