Middle Korean language

Korean language

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Middle Korean refers to the Korean language spoken during the 15th century, a period significant for the invention of the Korean script, Hangul. While information about Korean before this era is limited, Middle Korean provides a crucial link to understanding the language's development. The Korean language itself is spoken by over 75 million people, with the majority residing in South Korea and North Korea. Despite minor differences in spelling and vocabulary between the two Koreas, they adhere to unified standards established in 1933.12

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Korean language
General considerations
While much is known about Middle Korean, the language spoken in the 15th century (when the script was invented), information about the language before that time is limited. Several hundred words of early Middle Korean were written with phonograms in the vocabularies compiled by the Chinese as far back as…
Read More
While much is known about Middle Korean, the language spoken in the 15th century (when the script was invented), information about the language before that time is limited. Several hundred words of early Middle Korean were written with phonograms in the vocabularies compiled by the Chinese as far back as…
Read More