Say "Equality between Workers and Customers" Instead of "Worker Balance"

Government Recommends Korean Alternatives for Foreign Neologisms
"Equality between Workers and Customers" replaces "Worker Balance"
"Medically Impoverished Population" and "Local Vacation" suggested for "Medical Poor" and "Staycation"

As issues of customer abuse and emotional labor among workers have emerged socially, voices are calling for mutual respect to find a balance. Photo by tvN Albatross

On March 2, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Institute of the Korean Language recommended replacing the term "Worker and Customer Balance" (Worker Balance) with the Korean phrase "Equality between Workers and Customers." In addition, they suggested "medically impoverished population" and "local vacation" as Korean alternatives to "Medical Poor" and "Staycation," respectively.

"Worker Balance" refers to the idea that consumers should also show respect toward workers, emphasizing emotional and attitudinal balance between the two parties. The selection of the alternative term, "Equality between Workers and Customers," was based on survey results. In a public acceptance survey conducted from February 22 to 24 with about 1,000 participants, 82.1% of respondents said the term was appropriate.

"Medical Poor" refers to individuals or groups experiencing financial hardship due to excessive medical expenses. "Staycation" describes a vacation spent at home or nearby, rather than traveling far during the holiday season. At the New Words Committee meeting held from February 19 to 21, the Ministry and the Institute selected "medically impoverished population" and "local vacation" as the respective Korean alternatives.

The New Words Committee is a panel that provides easy-to-understand Korean alternatives for difficult foreign neologisms before they become widespread. Experts from various fields, including Korean language, foreign languages, education, public relations and publishing, information and communications, and media, participate in the committee. The Ministry and the Institute plan to continue promoting the use of these alternatives, encouraging government agencies and media outlets to take the lead.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.