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Korean Script and Sounds

The Korean script - hangeul (한글) - appeared in the 15th century. It is composed of 40 letters: 19 consonants and 21 vowel sounds (10 simple and 11 diphthongs). The same letter symbols are used in both the North and South Korean alphabets, but the dialects differ in letter order and letter name. Below is the information for the South Korean alphabet:

Letter       

Letter Name

기역

"giyeok"

니은

"nieun"

디귿

"digeut"

리을

"rieul"

미음

"mieum"

비읍

"bieup"

시옷

"siot"

이응

"ieung"

지읒

"jieut"

치읓

"chieut"

키읔

"kieuk"

티읕

"tieut"

피읖

"pieup"

히옷

"hieut"

쌍기역

"ssanggieok"

쌍디귿

"ssangdigeut"

쌍비읍

"ssangbieup"

쌍시옷

"ssangsiot"

쌍지읒

"ssangjieut"

Simple Vowels

"a"

"ya"

"eo"

"yeo"

"o"

"yo"

"u"

"yu"

"eu"

"i"

Diphthongs

"ae"

"yae"

"e"

"ye"

"wa"

"wae"

"oe"

"wo"

"we"

"wi"

"ui"

Here is the North Korean alphabet:

Letter        

Letter Name

Consonants

기윽

"kieug"

니은

"nieun"

디읃

"tieut"

리을

"rieul"

미음

"mieum"

비읍

"pieup"

시읏

"sieut"

이응

"ieung"

지읒

"jieut"

치읓

"chieut"

키읔

"khieug"

티읕

"thieut"

피읖

"phieuph"

히옷

"hieut"

된기윽

"toingieug"

된디읃

"toindieut"

된비읍

"toinbieup"

된시읏

"toinsieut"

된지읒

"toinjieut"

Simple Vowels

"a"

"ya"

"eo"

"yeo"

"o"

"yo"

"u"

"yu"

"eu"

"i"

Diphthongs

"ae"

"yae"

"e"

"ye"

"oe"

"wi"

"ui"

"wa"

"wo"

"we"

"wae"

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