Seoul to consider reintroducing Hanja in schools to address language skills crisis
After liberation from Japanese rule, Chinese characters were dropped in favour of Hangul, the Korean writing system; nevertheless, 57 per cent of the Korean vocabulary is derived from them. At present, due to overuse of smartphones and video games, two out of ten students struggle to understand words in textbooks; for this reason, some educators are pushing for the reintroduction of Hanja to improve literacy. But the issue remains politically divisive.
Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) – South Korea’s National Education Commission (NEC) has announced that it is evaluating possible steps to improve knowledge of Hanja, Chinese characters, as part of a broader plan to improve student literacy.
One of the options under discussion is the introduction of Hanja annotations in textbooks. However, given the strong political sensitivities surrounding the issue, the debate will focus only on reading, writing, and vocabulary, said Kim Kyung-hoe, chairman of the NEC’s special committee on literacy.
The proposal stems from growing concerns among educators, many of whom report a significant decline in students' language skills.
Many students have difficulty understanding especially Korean words of Chinese origin, which constitute a significant part of the vocabulary. Not everyone, however, is in favour of a reintroducing Hanja in school materials.
Some NEC members and union representatives fear that this could revive past controversies, like during the Park Geun-hye administration, when a similar project was abandoned due to strong opposition from the school community.
Historically, Hanja is the first writing system introduced in Korea, and was used for centuries even after the introduction of the Korean alphabet (Hangul or Hanguel).
After liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, the South Korean government promoted the exclusive use of Hangul to strengthen national identity and improve administrative efficiency. Hanja teaching was gradually reduced until it became optional in the 1970s.
Today, the topic remains highly divisive. Supporters believe that studying Hanja is essential for a thorough understanding of the Korean language and improving literacy.
Critics fear that it could weaken national linguistic identity and increase educational inequalities, favouring students with access to greater resources.
Even those who recognise the potential benefits urge caution, stressing the need to establish adequate study loads to avoid negative effects.
The debate over Hanja falls into a broader context, characterised by some as a veritable literacy crisis.
A 2024 survey revealed that 92 per cent of teachers believe that students' language skills have deteriorated compared to the past.
Furthermore, some two in ten students cannot understand textbooks without significant help, and a similar percentage exhibits skills below the expected level for their grade.
Overuse of smartphones and video games is cited as one of the main causes, but some believe a lack of knowledge of Hanja also plays a role.
Approximately 57 per cent of Korean vocabulary derives from these characters, and many students struggle to grasp their meaning.
Teachers report examples of frequent lexical confusion due to ignorance of the root words: words with similar sounds are misunderstood or associated with incorrect meanings.
The problem is not limited to schools, but extends to universities as well, where some students misinterpret complex terms for the same reason.
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12/02/2016 15:14
08/07/2023 13:09
