The Top Refined Terms:
"Rapid Blood Sugar Rise,"
"Sharp Interest Rate Cut,"
and "Capacity Building"
Terms Like "Ombudsperson,"
"Off-Leash," and "Reskilling"
Should Be Replaced with Easier Korean Words
"Road Black Ice" Used More Frequently
Than "Black Ice" in the Media
Among the foreign words refined into Korean by the National Institute of the Korean Language in 2024, "Rapid Blood Sugar Rise (Blood Sugar Spike)" was selected as the most well-refined Korean term.
From March to December of last year, a total of 18 expert discussions were held, and for each session, a public acceptance survey was conducted with 2,500 participants. In total, 76 terms were refined into Korean last year.
The Top Refined Terms: "Rapid Blood Sugar Rise," "Sharp Interest Rate Cut," and "Capacity Building"
According to the public acceptance survey, the most well-refined terms were "Rapid Blood Sugar Rise (Blood Sugar Spike)," "Sharp Interest Rate Cut (Big Cut)," "Capacity Building (Upskilling)," "Small Interest Rate Cut (Small Cut)," and "Value Enhancement (Value Up)." In addition, terms such as "Pet Caregiver (Pet Sitter)," "Book Introduction Video (Book Trailer)," and "Cross-Verification (Cross-Check)" were also recognized as well-refined Korean expressions.
Terms Like "Ombudsperson," "Off-Leash," and "Reskilling" Should Be Replaced with Easier Korean Words
Top 10 Foreign Words Recommended to Be Replaced with Korean Words in 2024, Provided by the National Institute of Korean Language
The term identified as most in need of replacement with easier Korean was "Ombudsperson." This word refers to a representative who protects and advocates for children's rights when they are violated, and it was refined as "Children's Rights Advocate." There were also many responses indicating that terms such as "Off-Leash (Not Wearing a Leash)," "Reskilling (Job Transition Training)," and "Fulfillment (Comprehensive Logistics Service)" should be replaced with easier Korean expressions.
"Road Black Ice" Used More Frequently Than "Black Ice" in the Media
The term "Road Black Ice," refined at a New Words Meeting in September 2021, has been found to be used more frequently than "Black Ice." According to a survey of usage trends for the two terms in "BigKinds," a database of major domestic newspapers, over the past ten years (from 2014 to the end of 2024), "Road Black Ice" surpassed "Black Ice" in frequency from 2022, with usage increasing significantly thereafter. The term "Black Ice" was used 608 times in 2023 and 724 times in 2024, while "Road Black Ice" was used 911 times in 2023 and 1,000 times in 2024.
A representative from the National Institute of the Korean Language stated, "Refined terms are becoming integrated into the Korean language and are gaining public support. In 2025, we plan to continue our efforts to quickly refine newly introduced foreign terms into easy Korean before they become widely used."
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