Language interpretation services in S. Korea to break down language barrier
- 5 years ago
Time now for our "Life & Info" segment... where we focus on information useful for your everyday life whether you are in Korea or somewhere else around the world.
Today, we turn our focus to culture
And to explain what's going on in South Korea right now, we have our Won Jung-hwan in the studio for us.
Hi Jung-hwan.
Hi Mark.
So what do you have for us today?
Mark, as you remember, last time when I was here at the studio about a month ago, we had a conversation on how foreigners can learn Korean,… focusing on the tips those foreign Korean language experts shared with us.
Yeah, I remember well, I spoke Korean for the first time in the studio….
Well today's topic is not so different from the previous one as it involves language again.
So let's say, what if your Korean language is not so fluent,… or what if you are simply just visiting South Korea without any background of the country? You would need help with the communication with locals, right?
So today, I would like to talk about an interpretation service specifically provided for foreigners or even to locals who encounter language difficulties in Korea.
So without me going any further,… let me first show you the case of this student from Spain, who tries to arrange a contract in a local mobile phone network service center,... but was unable to communicate with a dealer.
The dealer, who remembered a particular 8 digit number... calls for help to a Korean volunteer who picks up his phone, while he's working out at the gym.
We didn't had time to stay until the end,… but I heard that girl successfully managed to sign a contract with a network dealer,… thanks to the help of a Korean volunteer at the gym.
Actually signing a good phone service deal is difficult to even for Koreans,… so imagine how hard it would for a foreign visitor to this country for the first time and doesn't speak hardly any Korean, right?
And that is why the BBB Korea, an interpretation service, that is coming to the rescue.
BBB Korea is a NGO that provides 24-hour free interpretation service for all.
So the idea was first hatched back in 2002 when a lot of foreigners visited Korea for the World Cup.
When a speaker is experiencing hardships understanding the language, they can dial BBB to ask for an interpretation,… through a device everyone carries, a mobile phone.
And if you do so, over 4-thousand-5-hundred volunteer interpreters who can speak 20 different languages are there for to provide you the help you need.
So normally it works like this way,… interpretation is offered via a 3-way phone call with a foreigner, a Korean speaking with a foreigner, and a BBB volunteer interpreter who is free to take calls.
From asking directions to getting medical information in emergency situations, the volunteers of BBB deliver important messages from a speaker to a speaker in real-time on a 24-hour basis.
And a person who is currently in charge of running the service explains the reason why BBB Korea has been loved by so ma
Today, we turn our focus to culture
And to explain what's going on in South Korea right now, we have our Won Jung-hwan in the studio for us.
Hi Jung-hwan.
Hi Mark.
So what do you have for us today?
Mark, as you remember, last time when I was here at the studio about a month ago, we had a conversation on how foreigners can learn Korean,… focusing on the tips those foreign Korean language experts shared with us.
Yeah, I remember well, I spoke Korean for the first time in the studio….
Well today's topic is not so different from the previous one as it involves language again.
So let's say, what if your Korean language is not so fluent,… or what if you are simply just visiting South Korea without any background of the country? You would need help with the communication with locals, right?
So today, I would like to talk about an interpretation service specifically provided for foreigners or even to locals who encounter language difficulties in Korea.
So without me going any further,… let me first show you the case of this student from Spain, who tries to arrange a contract in a local mobile phone network service center,... but was unable to communicate with a dealer.
The dealer, who remembered a particular 8 digit number... calls for help to a Korean volunteer who picks up his phone, while he's working out at the gym.
We didn't had time to stay until the end,… but I heard that girl successfully managed to sign a contract with a network dealer,… thanks to the help of a Korean volunteer at the gym.
Actually signing a good phone service deal is difficult to even for Koreans,… so imagine how hard it would for a foreign visitor to this country for the first time and doesn't speak hardly any Korean, right?
And that is why the BBB Korea, an interpretation service, that is coming to the rescue.
BBB Korea is a NGO that provides 24-hour free interpretation service for all.
So the idea was first hatched back in 2002 when a lot of foreigners visited Korea for the World Cup.
When a speaker is experiencing hardships understanding the language, they can dial BBB to ask for an interpretation,… through a device everyone carries, a mobile phone.
And if you do so, over 4-thousand-5-hundred volunteer interpreters who can speak 20 different languages are there for to provide you the help you need.
So normally it works like this way,… interpretation is offered via a 3-way phone call with a foreigner, a Korean speaking with a foreigner, and a BBB volunteer interpreter who is free to take calls.
From asking directions to getting medical information in emergency situations, the volunteers of BBB deliver important messages from a speaker to a speaker in real-time on a 24-hour basis.
And a person who is currently in charge of running the service explains the reason why BBB Korea has been loved by so ma