Korea must legislate plain language act

Last week, spokespersons of government agencies agreed to use plain language in their documents and statements, with the help of the National Institute of the Korean Language. On Hangeul Day (Korean Alphabet Day) on Oct. 9, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) will award government agencies that use plain language consistently and effectively.

The plan came months after Prime Minister Chung Hong-won asked government employees to avoid using governmentese, or jargon government officials use.

It is a fact that government agencies use difficult words, Chinese characters, loanwords, Konglish and other jargon. In addition, government officials often use bureaucratic expressions to avoid risk. For instance, they say, “The government will ‘seriously consider’ the proposal and implement ‘effective measures’ ‘as soon as possible’ through ‘effective coordination’ among agencies.” However, these phrases are vague at best and do not provide any useful information to the public. The National Tax Service, for example, often populates its documents and statements with data and specialist words as ‘deductions,’ ‘exemptions’ and ‘credits,’ which are incomprehensible to the average taxpayer.

The Financial Supervisory Service has also instructed financial organizations and companies to use plain language. Banking insurance and credit card companies make extra money by including lengthy, jargon-ridden fine print in contracts that consumers cannot finish reading or understanding in a reasonable amount of time. Thus, consumers end up putting their signature on a contract without understanding the terms and conditions.

Likewise, conversing with doctors can be head-spinning because they use medical jargon and provide complicated instructions. For instance, doctors say “cardiac arrest” to indicate that a patient’s heart has stopped working.

In contrast, the Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) and a few other hospitals are trying to use plain language in various signs so that patients can easily understand them. Hospitals around the country should try to adopt plain language as well and train their doctors, nurses and other staff to help patients understand what the hospital does. They need to realize the information that hospitals and medical professionals provide could be the difference between a patient’s life and death. The easier the information is to understand, the better a patient’s chances of recovery or survival.

The media should use plain language to promote better understanding by the public. Many news reporters and TV hosts use jargon, Konglish and vague words that the audience seldom understands. For example, they coined the phrase “black consumer” to refer to a consumer who extorts money from companies by threatening to disclose alleged product or service defects. However, the word is not found in major English dictionaries such as those by Merriam-Webster and Oxford. Foreigners often think “black consumers” are those buying goods in the black market to avoid tax.

Lawyers have yet to appreciate the beauty of plain language. Korean law schools do not teach students to write clearly and without legalese. Further, lawyers make complex statements and documents to avoid litigation. Likewise, many professionals

jargon-ridden research papers, believing that doing so makes them seem more intelligent and educated than the rest of the public. However, they don’t realize that unless research papers, reports and theses are written clearly and concisely, readers won’t be able to understand and appreciate their work.

What government agencies, other organizations and individuals need to realize is that plain language benefits everybody. Government officials can make their policies and programs more accessible if the content is easily understandable.

Politicians and government leaders can develop a better relationship with their constituents if they speak clearly and concisely. Likewise, companies and nonprofit organizations can save on costs, improve relationships with customers and boost employee efficiency by using plain language.

In the book “Simple: Conquering the Crisis of Complexity,” authors Alan Siegel and Irene Etzkorn say, “To connect with people, you have to speak their language.” They add, “Professionals should think about their listeners and adjust their message, vocabulary and level of detail accordingly,” and “Complexity is not a necessary evil but a thief that must be apprehended.”

They also say, “Consumers should not need a law degree or a magnifying glass to understand manuals, contracts and public statements.”

Unlike Korea, such countries as the United States and the United Kingdom have long campaigned for plain language. In 1998, then U.S. Vice President Al Gore declared, “Clear writing from your government is a civil right.” These countries adopt the “less is more” approach, which means the fewer words you use in talking or writing, the more people understand your message. Korea can also adopt this “simplicity paradox.” It should use plain language in implementing policies and plans.

However, using plain language should not be limited to government agencies like the MCST but should include individuals and other organizations. People should no longer leave promoting plain language to government officials alone. They should use plain language in their daily lives and contact government agencies and other organizations that do not communicate clearly and concisely. They should ask President Park Geun-hye and lawmakers to legislate a plain language bill. By Lee Chang-sup The korea times