Translating Tech in South Korea

By: Sarah-Claire Jordan

When you think of East Asia and technology, South Korea might not be the first country that comes to mind. Generally, China and Japan are the countries in that region that are most associated with technology. While they have a longer legacy of success in the tech industry, South Korea has become more so over the past few decades. In fact, its economy has improved so much thanks to the tech industry that it is now the most developed country in East Asia, according to the Human Development Index.

This emphasis on technology makes sense, as the country is lacking in natural resources. South Korea has made a name for itself in the tech industry thanks to companies like Samsung, LG, Kia, and Hyundai. Most of these are “chaebols”, or family-owned business conglomerates, though South Korea has excellent policies aiming to help out smaller businesses. Basically, South Korea seems to have figured out the perfect balance of government involvement in bettering the economic environment and allowing entrepreneurs and innovators to do what they do best.

However, some things that could still use some work are Korean-to-English and English-to-Korean translation services. Despite the fact that the majority of South Koreans with a good education have a reasonably good level of English, that doesn’t mean that they can handle translating to and from English. A good portion of the English language education in South Korea is focused on passing exams rather than being able to use English in a business setting. This is where working with a good translation services company comes into play for South Korean businesses and those looking to work with them.

Investors and businesspeople who are looking to work with or invest in some of the most innovative tech companies in the world need to be looking at South Korea. They should also keep in mind that, these days, translation services are an integral part of any business relationship that crosses international borders. If translation services are not in your business plan or budget, then you need to reconsider and figure out how to work them in. With all of the other businesses and investors eyeing South Korea, doing as much as possible to reach South Korean businesses is extremely important.

Given the dominance of technology-related industries in South Korea, there is a lot of demand for technical translations. Of course, other types of translation services are needed as well, specifically financial and legal translation services, but working with translators who have experience in technical translations is very important. Having a good understanding of South Korean culture and business etiquette is crucial as well, since simply translating words from one language to another does not necessarily transmit the message in the best way. A grasp of the culture of where you want to do business goes a long way in creating healthy business relationships as well. Alpha Omega Translations works with a variety of  Korean translators with years of experience handling highly-technical topics and terminology specific to the Korean language.

Tags: science

Category: Foreign Language