Land Ministry says it will review, revise signs

Following reports on poorly transliterated English traffic signs in Seoul by the JoongAng Ilbo last week, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs announced Friday that it will review its signs and take down and revise those that need alterations.

“We have recognized that there are problems with the way English is transliterated on traffic signs for foreigners in the country,” said Jun Man-gyeong, director of the road management team at the ministry.

“We will consult with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that is in charge of setting principles of Romanization and push ahead with a thorough revision.”

According to the ministry, English signs on traffic boards must be spelled out phonetically based on the Korean Romanization standards announced by the Culture Ministry in 2000, drawing criticism that they do not meet global standards.

By Yoo Sung-woon [jkkang2@joongang.co.kr]