The primary language spoken in North Korea, and its official language, is Korean (ISO language code: kor).
A Homogenous Linguistic Landscape
Due to its profound isolation, North Korea maintains a highly ethnically and linguistically homogenous population. Consequently, there are no known minority languages spoken by any significant numbers within the country. This uniformity means that virtually all citizens communicate in Korean, creating a singular linguistic environment largely untouched by external influences compared to its southern counterpart.
Key Characteristics of North Korean Korean
While sharing roots with the Korean spoken in South Korea, the language in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has evolved distinctly over the past seven decades due to political division, different socio-economic developments, and unique ideological influences. The North Korean government actively promotes what it calls Munhwaŏ (문화어, "cultured language"), based on the Pyongyang dialect, as opposed to the Seoul dialect which forms the basis of South Korea's standard Korean.
Dialectal Distinctions
The North Korean standard is rooted in the Pyongyang dialect, which traditionally has some phonetic and lexical differences from the Seoul dialect. Over time, these differences have been amplified by governmental language policies.
Vocabulary and Usage
- Purism: North Korea's linguistic policy emphasizes "purity," actively removing foreign loanwords (especially English) and replacing them with native Korean terms or newly coined words. This contrasts sharply with South Korean Korean, which readily incorporates many English words.
- Ideological Terminology: The language is heavily infused with Juche (self-reliance) ideology and terms related to the Workers' Party of Korea, the leadership, and revolutionary history.
- Honorifics: While honorifics are crucial in both Koreas, North Korean usage can sometimes differ, especially in their application to state figures.
Pronunciation and Intonation
Subtle differences exist in pronunciation and intonation patterns between North and South Korean speakers, making them distinguishable even to an untrained ear over time. North Korean speech is often perceived as more rigid and less varied in intonation.
The Role of Hangul
Both North and South Korea utilize the Korean alphabet, Hangul (한글), a scientifically designed and highly efficient writing system. In North Korea, it is sometimes referred to as Chosŏn'gŭl (조선글). The fundamental characters and their phonetic values are the same, ensuring mutual readability, though specific orthographical rules and word spacing can sometimes vary.
Examples of Linguistic Differences
To illustrate the divergence, here are a few common words that differ between North Korean and South Korean usage:
| Feature | North Korean (Munhwaŏ) | South Korean (Pyo jun-eo) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburger | 고기겹빵 (gogi-gyeopbbang) | 햄버거 (haembeogeo) | Hamburger |
| Ice Cream | 에스키모 (eseukimo) | 아이스크림 (aiseukeurim) | Ice Cream |
| Friend | 동무 (dongmu) | 친구 (chingu) | Friend (colleague) |
| Thank you | 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) | 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) | Thank you |
| Standard/Normal | 통상 (tong-sang) | 일반 (il-ban) | Ordinary/General |
These differences highlight the distinct linguistic paths taken by the two Koreas since their division. Understanding these nuances provides insight into the cultural and political separation that has shaped the Korean peninsula.
Learn more about the Korean language.
Explore the history of Hangul.
