KOR ISO 639-3
Korean
한국말 (Hanguk-mal), 한국어 (Hanguk-eo) Autonym
A language of South Korea
- ISO 639
- kor
- Autonym
- 한국말 (Hanguk-mal), 한국어 (Hanguk-eo)
- Population
- 50,200,000 in South Korea (2020). Total users in all countries: 81,455,340.
- Location:
- Widespread.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). De facto national language.
- Classification
- Koreanic
- Dialects
- Seoul (Kangwondo, Kyonggido), Chungcheongdo (North Chungcheongdo, South Chungcheongdo), Kyongsangdo (North Kyongsangdo, South Kyongsangdo), Jeollado (North Jeollado, South Jeollado), Jeju Island. Scholars differ as to whether or not Korean is related to Japanese [jpn]. Dialect boundaries generally correspond to provincial boundaries. Some dialects are not easily intelligible with others (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977). The suffix, -do, on dialect names means Province. Comprehension of standard Korean may be lower on Jeju Island.
- Typology
- SOV; postpositions; noun head final; no articles; case-marking (6 cases); passives; tense and aspect; causatives; 21 consonants, 8 vowels, 12 diphthongs; non-tonal; traces of vowel harmony; 3 social registers.
- Language Use
- Also use English [eng].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 98% (1995). Higher adult illiteracy is reported on Jeju Island. Fully developed. Bible: 1911–1993.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Korean
- Writing
- Braille script [Brai]. Hangul and Han scripts [Kore], primary usage. Latin script [Latn], used for maps and signs.
- Other Comments
- Buddhist, Christian.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Argentina
Language Name
Korean
User Population
32,000 in Argentina (2018). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Korean
User Population
109,000 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Bahrain
Language Name
Korean
User Population
2,600 in Bahrain (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Brunei
Language Name
Korean
User Population
33,900 in Brunei (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Brazil
Language Name
Korean
User Population
47,000 in Brazil (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Belarus
Language Name
Korean
User Population
1,000 in Belarus (2012 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Korean
User Population
153,000 in Canada (2016 census).
- Location
- Jilin province: Yanbian (Hyanbian) Korean autonomous prefecture; Hebei, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Shandong provinces, and Nei Mongol Autonomous Region; some in Beijing municipality.
- Language Status
- 4 (Educational)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Buddhist, Christian. View other languages of China
Language Name
Korean
User Population
2,710,000 in China (2012 census). 1,200,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,820,000 (2010 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Korean
User Population
36,300 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Korean
User Population
1,150 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Spain
Language Name
Korean
User Population
4,160 in Spain (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Location
- Kingston Upon Thames county.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Korean
User Population
15,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Guam
Language Name
Korean
User Population
3,600 in Guam (2015 World Factbook).
- Location
- Kyoto prefecture: Gion area; Osaka prefecture: Imazato-Shinchi and Tsuruhashi; Tokyo prefecture: Mikawashima, Okubo, and Ueno areas; Yamaguchi prefecture: Shimonoseki; mainly urban areas.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Buddhist, Christian. View other languages of Japan
Language Name
Korean
User Population
992,000 in Japan (Leclerc 2020b).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Kyrgyzstan
Language Name
Korean
User Population
8,500 in Kyrgyzstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 17,300 (2009 census).
- Location
- Widespread.
- Dialects
- Hamgyongdo (North Hamgyongdo, South Hamgyongdo), P’yong’ando (North P’yong’ando, South P’yong’ando), Hwanghaedo.
- Language Status
- 1 (National)
- Other Comments
- Buddhist, Christian, Confucianist. View other languages of North Korea
Language Name
Korean
User Population
25,400,000 in North Korea (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Kazakhstan
Language Name
Korean
User Population
36,100 in Kazakhstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 100,000 (2009 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Libya
Language Name
Korean
User Population
15,500 in Libya (2020).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Madagascar
Language Name
Korean
User Population
16,000 in Madagascar (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Widespread.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Northern Mariana Islands
Language Name
Korean
User Population
2,230 in Northern Mariana Islands (2000 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Mexico
Language Name
Korean
User Population
4,500 in Mexico (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Mozambique
Language Name
Korean
User Population
43,000 in Mozambique (2017).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Netherlands
Language Name
Korean
User Population
3,400 in Netherlands (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Korean
User Population
26,400 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Paraguay
Language Name
Korean
User Population
8,000 in Paraguay (2015).
- Location
- Khabarovsk krai, Primorsky krai, Sakhalin province.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Russian Federation
Language Name
Korean
User Population
42,400 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 153,000 (2010 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Saudi Arabia
Language Name
Korean
User Population
173,000 in Saudi Arabia (2018). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Sweden
Language Name
Korean
User Population
1,680 in Sweden (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Singapore
Language Name
Korean
User Population
11,000 in Singapore (2018 J. Leclerc).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Thailand
Language Name
Korean
User Population
13,000 in Thailand (2010 census).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Turkmenistan
Language Name
Korean
User Population
1,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of China–Taiwan
Language Name
Korean
User Population
4,200 in China–Taiwan (2018 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Ukraine
Language Name
Korean
User Population
2,220 in Ukraine (2001 census). Ethnic population: 12,700 (2001 census).
- Location
- California: Los Angeles area; Hawaii; New York: New York City.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Korean
User Population
1,120,000 in United States (2015 census). Ethnic population: 2,180,000 (2012 census).
- Location
- Toshkent City.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Uzbekistan
Language Name
Korean
User Population
182,000 in Uzbekistan (2019).
Map
Location: Widespread.
Size and Vitality
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