The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has published the Glossary of Construction Standards Terminology in North and South Korea, which details the different ways in which architectural jargon is employed between North and South Korea.
Seventy years of division has formed a vast chasm between the North and South, both culturally and environmentally, which has carried over into the construction terminology used in each country. Researchers have pointed out that the difference in jargon will prove a sticking point in the development of a shared infrastructure between the two Koreas. By releasing this glossary, the Korea Construction Standards Center (KSCS) seeks to minimise potential confusion for workers, as well as any conflicts or social costs that might arise from such differences in language.
The Glossary of Construction Standards Terminology For North and South Korea details South Korea’s construction standards, and provides a comparative explanation of 4,955 terms contained in the Korean Construction Specification (KCS) and 5,365 terms from the North Korean Construction Terminology Glossary. Some 1,100 words selected from 17 construction sectors, including ground, structure, and earthquake engineering, were compiled for the purposes of this project. The terms will apply to contracts, construction standards, standard specification, and Construction Project Specification for the planning, construction and quality management stages of building.
The Glossary of Construction Standards Terminology For North and South Korea will be available for public access through the Korea Construction Standards Center’s website.