NATION
How to pronounce
South Korea
sowthkuh·REE·uh
Native [haːnɡuk] → American /ˌsaʊθ kəˈriː.ə/
Sound by sound
4 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- sowth the ‘ow’ in now
- kuh the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
- REE the ‘ee’ in see — say this beat loudest
- uh the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
Talking about South Korea
The words that trip people up — what to call the team, the people, and the language.
- One person
- a South Korean (or simply a Korean)
- The people / the team
- South Koreans / Koreans (the team: the Taegeuk Warriors)
- As an adjective
- South Korean / Korean
- The language
- Korean
The language and people are simply Korean; “South Korean” specifies the country rather than a separate language. The team is nicknamed the Taegeuk Warriors, after the red-and-blue taegeuk symbol on the national flag.
Like a local vs like an American
Don’t say…
- sowth koh-REE-uh
- sowth KOR-ee-uh
- sowth kuh-RAY-uh
- sowth kuh·REE·uh — stress on REE
Where the name comes from
English “Korea” comes from Goryeo (also spelled Koryŏ), the dynasty that ruled the peninsula from 918 to 1392; medieval traders carried the name west, where it became “Corea”, then “Korea”. South Koreans, though, call their country Hanguk (한국) — “the land of the Han”, the historic Korean peoples — short for Daehan Minguk, the Republic of Korea.
- Capital
- Seoul
- Confederation
- AFC
- World Cup best
- 4th place, 2002 (as co-hosts — first Asian nation to reach the semifinals)
Hear it for real
Say it out loud — and check it.
SayWaader listens to your pronunciation and tells you exactly what to fix, syllable by syllable.
Practice in the appFAQ
How do you pronounce South Korea?
South Korea is pronounced sowth kuh·REE·uh in American English — 4 beats, with the stress on REE.
Where does the name Korea come from?
English “Korea” comes from <em>Goryeo</em> (also spelled Koryŏ), the dynasty that ruled the peninsula from 918 to 1392; medieval traders carried the name west, where it became “Corea”, then “Korea”. South Koreans, though, call their country <em>Hanguk</em> (한국) — “the land of the Han”, the historic Korean peoples — short for <strong>Daehan Minguk</strong>, the Republic of Korea.
Why is it “Korea” when Koreans say “Hanguk”?
They have different roots. English “Korea” comes from the old Goryeo dynasty, which is how foreign traders knew the peninsula. South Koreans today call their country Hanguk, short for Daehan Minguk — the Republic of Korea.
Is it spelled Korea or Corea?
Modern English uses “Korea”. “Corea” is an older spelling still seen in some European languages, but in American English it’s Korea — said kuh-REE-uh.