This undated image shows multiple coronavirus-related emergency text messages sent out from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and local governments. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — A group of university students majoring in languages are translating coronavirus text alerts and notices into ten different languages and distributing them for free.
A multi-language translation project team for text message alerts that was founded in South Chungcheong Province in July last year, led by Jung Min-kyu, a student at Dankook University’s Department of Mongolian Studies, consists of about 30 students from all across the country.
“The idea for the translation project came to my mind when I saw my acquaintances alienated from the disease control information due to language problems,” Jung said.
The team translates coronavirus-related text alerts written in Korean into ten other languages, including English, German and Russian and distributes them for free to public health centers and screening clinics throughout the country, as well as the immigration office at Incheon International Airport.
At present, the number of public institutions using the multi-language COVID-19 notices is estimated at about 40. The team sends print or PDF versions of the notices to the institutions upon request.
“Foreign students, migrant women and foreign workers are feeling inconvenienced due to the difficulty in getting the government’s disease control information. This project is quite useful for many foreigners living in South Korea,” said a 38-year-old Mongolian residing in South Korea.
The team pledged that it would keep striving to protect foreigners from being alienated from disease control information.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
