소수민족 위한 정책인가? 한글공정인가?
<#302 Foreign Community>
Who Should Make a Unified “Hangeul” Typing Rule?
By Yu Yajing, Guest Reporter
Last month I was hanging out with my friends in my room---one is Korean, the others are Chinese. My Korean friend was reading online news on the Internet while talking with us. Suddenly he asked us a question with angered voice: “Why is Beijing trying to create its own unified Hangeul typing method for mobile gadgets even though Hangeul is mostly used by Koreans?“ Then we read the news about the Chinese government’s plan.
Actually, I did not know the news until he told us. I searched for some related news immediately. I was told that the Chinese plan was just part of its efforts to unify typing systems for each language used by 56 different ethnic groups on the Chinese website. I also found there were very many voices of the Korean Internet users that were not so positive. It seemed that most Koreans are angry about this plan, just as they are about China’s Northeast Project.
Millions of opinions are created on the web everyday. Different people in different situations create different stories and news. The Chinese government said it was just an effort to unify typing systems for each language used by 56 different ethnic groups in China. As a Chinese I think it is reasonable because I am aware of the situation of the ethnic groups in China. It is very inconvenient that many ethnic groups, including Joseonjok (an ethnic group who uses Korean), use different languages. But as a Chinese student living in Korea for a long time, I know how important Hangeul is to all of the Korean people--- it is a great and brilliant property left by their Korean ancestors and it carries with it national sentiment. But the truth I had discovered from many sources is that the nation of Korea has made little progress in the effort to unify a typing system due to conflicting interests of cell phone makers and telecommunication operators.
I am not very interested in politics. I do not know if China has the intention of imposing its own standard on South and North Korea for political or economic purposes. Even ignoring this kind of political problems, all of us know that different situations always lead to many misunderstandings and much discord between families, friends and countries. I just really hope there will be no discord between our two countries--- we are all Asians, and live together under the same sky. Technology is just a tool to make our lives more convenient, not a weapon for some silly war. Who updates the Hangeul typing rule is not important; the most important mission to our youth now is making our world more peaceful and beautiful so that the people all over the world can live without worry. Isn’t it?
Yu Yajing, Guest Reporter
tribune1968@cnumedia.com