Page Type: languageKorean Sign Language | Ethnologue

KVK ISO 639-3

Korean Sign Language

A language of South Korea

ISO 639
kvk
Alternate Names
Hanguk Sueo, Hanguk Suhwa Eoneo, KSL
Population
180,000 in South Korea (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.4% of total population. Total users in all countries: 308,000.
Location:
Scattered.
Language Status
4 (Educational). Recognized language (2016, Korean Sign Language Act), Requires a KSL Development Plan every five years, promotion of standardization, use of KSL in education, promotion in other areas of life, competency testing, and interpreters.
Classification
Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Dialects
None known. Related to Japanese [jsl] and Taiwanese [tss] sign languages. Exact amount of difference with the sign language variety in North Korea is unknown, but some reports indicate substantial communication problems between the two varieties, so they might need to be recognized as separate languages.
Typology
Finger-spelling system.
Language Use
Used since 1889. Signed interpretation required in court, used at important public events, and social services programs. Instruction for parents of deaf children. Many sign language classes for hearing people. Some also use Korean [kor].
Language Development
Primary schools for deaf children using sign language since 1908. TV. Dictionary. Agencies: Korea Association of the Deaf; National Institute of the Korean Language.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Korean Sign Language
User Population
128,000 in North Korea (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 75,000–150,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of total population.
Location
Scattered.
Dialects
North Korean variety.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Anecdotal reports suggest that the sign language in North Korea is substantially different from that in South Korea, and may need to be recognized as a separate language.
View other languages of North Korea

Map

Location: Scattered.