Your Voice Matters! How to Write to a Korean Politician

Your Voice Matters! How to Write to a Korean Politician

Hello! It’s [Maeil Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills!

Have you ever walked down a street in Korea and thought, “I wish there was a crosswalk here,” or “This park could use more benches”? Today, we’re going to learn how to turn those thoughts into action! We’ll be covering the essential Korean phrases for writing a letter to an elected official.

Recently in Korea, there’s a growing trend of active citizen participation. From huge online petitions to lively discussions in local online communities, people are eager to make their voices heard on issues big and small. Learning how to communicate your ideas formally is an incredibly powerful skill, and it will make you feel much more connected to the community around you. Let’s get started!

Core Expressions for Civic Action

Here are three key phrases you’ll need to write a respectful and effective letter.

1. 존경하는 OOO 의원님께 (Jongyeonghaneun OOO uiwon-nim-kke)

• English Meaning: To the Honorable Assembly Member OOO
• Detailed Explanation: This is the standard, formal salutation for opening a letter to a politician or official. Let’s break it down:
  • 존경하는 (Jongyeonghaneun): Comes from the verb 존경하다 (to respect). It acts as an adjective here, meaning “Respected” or “Honorable.”
  • 의원님 (Uiwon-nim): 의원 means member of an assembly/congress. The suffix 님 (nim) is a crucial honorific that shows respect. You must include it.
  • 께 (Kke): This is the highly formal version of the particle 에게/한테 (to).
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The ㅎ (h) sound in 하는 (haneun) is very soft. When speaking quickly, it can almost disappear between the two vowels, making it sound like [조겨하는 - jongyeong-aneun]. This smooth connection is key to sounding natural.

2. …에 대해 건의드립니다 (…e daehae geonui-deurimnida)

• English Meaning: I would like to make a suggestion regarding…
• Detailed Explanation: This is the heart of your letter—the phrase you use to introduce your main point.
  • …에 대해 (e daehae): This pattern means “about…” or “regarding…” You place the topic you want to discuss before it.
  • 건의드립니다 (geonui-deurimnida): This is a very formal and humble way to say “I suggest.” It’s a combination of 건의 (suggestion/proposal) and 드립니다 (the humble form of 주다, to give). You are literally “giving a suggestion” respectfully.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  Pay attention to 드립니다 (deurimnida). Even though it’s spelled with a ㅂ (b) consonant at the end of the syllable block 드립, it is pronounced like an ㅁ (m). This is a common Korean pronunciation rule called nasalization, where ㅂ before ㄴ changes to an ㅁ sound. So, instead of deurib-nida, it becomes [deurimnida].

3. 고견을 부탁드립니다 (Gogyeon-eul butak-deurimnida)

• English Meaning: I ask for your esteemed opinion. / I look forward to your valuable insight.
• Detailed Explanation: This is a perfect, polite closing sentence before you sign off. It shows that you value the official’s expertise and are requesting their thoughtful consideration.
  • 고견 (Gogyeon): A formal Sino-Korean word meaning “high/valuable opinion.” 고(高) means high, and 견(見) means opinion.
  • 부탁드립니다 (butak-deurimnida): The formal and humble way of saying “I ask” or “please.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  When a syllable ending in ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ is followed by a syllable starting with ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅈ, the second consonant becomes tensed (쌍자음). Here, 부탁 (butak) ends in ㄱ (k) and 드립니다 (deurimnida) starts with ㄷ (d). So, the ㄷ is pronounced as a strong ㄸ (tt). The sound is [부탁뜨립니다 – butak-tteurimnida]. This “tensing rule” is everywhere in Korean!

Example Conversation

Imagine two friends, Minjun and Chloe, are discussing a local issue.

• Chloe: 민준 씨, 우리 동네에 자전거 도로가 너무 부족한 것 같아요. 구청에 편지를 써볼까요?
  (Minjun, I feel like there aren’t enough bike lanes in our neighborhood. Should we write a letter to the district office?)
• Minjun: 좋은 생각이에요! 시작은 어떻게 할까요?
  (Great idea! How should we start?)
• Chloe: 음… “존경하는 OOO 구청장님께“라고 써야죠.
  (Hmm… We have to write, “To the Honorable Mayor of OOO District.”)
• Minjun: 맞아요. 그리고 본문에는 “자전거 도로 확충에 대해 건의드립니다“라고 쓰면 되겠네요.
  (Right. And in the main body, we can write, “I would like to make a suggestion regarding the expansion of bike lanes.”)
• Chloe: 완벽해요! 마지막은 “이 사안에 대한 구청장님의 고견을 부탁드립니다“로 마무리하고요.
  (Perfect! And we can finish with, “I ask for your esteemed opinion on this matter.”)

Culture Tip & Trend Analysis

Politeness is Power: Understanding Korean Formality

In Korea, using the correct level of formality (예의) when addressing someone in a position of authority is extremely important. The expressions we learned today are filled with honorifics (-님, -께) and humble verb forms (-드립니다) for this reason. Skipping them would be seen as very rude and could cause your letter to be dismissed.

Beyond the Letter: Civic Tech in Korea

While a formal letter is a classic approach, you should know that modern civic engagement in Korea is very tech-savvy!

• Online Petitions (국민청원): The government has official online petition websites where a petition that gets enough signatures requires an official response. It’s a powerful tool for raising public awareness.
• Local Apps: Apps like Karrot (당근) are famous for second-hand trading, but they also have a “Neighborhood Life” section where residents actively discuss local problems, from noisy neighbors to broken streetlights. This is where many grassroots movements begin!

Using today’s formal language, even in an email or a well-structured online post, will show that you are a serious and respectful member of the community.

Let’s Review and Practice!

Great job today! We learned three essential phrases for writing a formal letter to a Korean official:

• 존경하는 OOO 의원님께 (To start the letter)
• …에 대해 건의드립니다 (To state your suggestion)
• 고견을 부탁드립니다 (To politely ask for their opinion)

Now, it’s your turn to practice!

Quiz: You want to suggest that the city needs more public libraries. Fill in the blank to create a formal suggestion sentence.

“공공 도서관 추가 설립_________________.”
(Regarding the establishment of additional public libraries…)

Leave your answer in the comments below using the expression we learned today! We can’t wait to see your sentences. Fighting