Korean culture center to be built in city of Bau Bau

SEOUL, Dec. 25 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean culture center will be established in
an Indonesian city of a minority tribe that has adopted the Korean alphabet,
Hangeul, as its official writing system, a private foundation here said Friday.
The Cia Cia tribe in the city of Bau Bau, located in Buto, Southeast Sulawesi,
has been looking for ways to preserve its fading language that has been passed
down orally, and chose Hangeul to transcribe its words.
The Wonam Foundation said that it signed a Letter of Intent with Bau Bau city on
Tuesday to establish a center to spread and teach the Korean alphabet and promote
South Korean culture in the region.
The Hunminjeongeum Research Institute, a scholars' organization that has led the
move and provided textbooks for the Indonesian students, also participated in the
agreement, said the foundation.
"We will break ground as soon as possible, after the Indonesian government
approves the construction, and expect to complete it in the first half of next
year," an official from the Wonam Foundation said.
"The culture center will be a landmark in the region and play a leading role in
disseminating Hangeul."
Hangeul, a phonetic alphabet created by Korean King Sejong about 600 years ago,
can theoretically be used to write words in almost any language. The academic
institute has run the project to help illiterate minority tribes write their
languages and preserve them.
brk@yna.co.kr
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