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===Bibliography===
===Bibliography===
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|APLMF}} |contribution=DPR Korea |contribution-url=http://www.aplmf.org/dpr-korea.html |title=Asia–Pacific Legal Metrology Forum |url=http://www.aplmf.org }}.
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|APLMF|2015}} |contribution=DPR Korea |contribution-url=http://www.aplmf.org/dpr-korea.html |title=''Official site'' |url=http://www.aplmf.org |publisher=Asia–Pacific Legal Metrology Forum |date=2015 }}.
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|CooMet|2013}} |contribution-url=http://www.coomet.org/en/country/kp.htm |contribution=DPR of Korea |date=27 August 2013 |url=http://www.coomet.org/home_EN.htm |title=Euro-Asian Cooperation of National Metrological Institutions |location=Moscow |publisher=CooMet Secretariat }}.
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|CooMet|2013}} |contribution-url=http://www.coomet.org/en/country/kp.htm |contribution=DPR of Korea |date=27 August 2013 |url=http://www.coomet.org/home_EN.htm |title=Euro-Asian Cooperation of National Metrological Institutions |location=Moscow |publisher=CooMet Secretariat }}.
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|DPRK|1993}} |title=''"The Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Metrology"'' |url=http://www.keikoren.or.jp/measure/20130703-4.pdf |series=No. 484-112 |date=3 February 1993 |publisher=Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK |location=Pyongyang }}. {{ko icon}}{{nbsp}}& {{en icon}}
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|DPRK|1993}} |title=''"The Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Metrology"'' |url=http://www.keikoren.or.jp/measure/20130703-4.pdf |series=No. 484-112 |date=3 February 1993 |publisher=Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK |location=Pyongyang }}. {{ko icon}}{{nbsp}}& {{en icon}}

Revision as of 02:53, 6 June 2017

Korean units of measurement
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationCheoggeun beop
McCune–ReischauerCh'ŏkkŭn bŏp
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationCheoggan beop
McCune–ReischauerCh'ŏkkan bŏp
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationCheoggwan beop
McCune–ReischauerCh'ŏkkwan bŏp

Korean units are the traditional units of measurement used by the people of the Korean peninsula. It is largely based on the Chinese system, with influence from Japanese standards imposed following its annexation of the Korean Empire. Both North and South Korea currently employ the metric system. Since 2007, South Korea has criminalized the use of Korean units in commercial contexts but informal use continues, especially of the pyeong as a measure of residential and commercial floorspace. North Korea continues to use the traditional units, although their standards are now derived from metric conversions.

History

Korea

Customary Korean units are a local adaption of the traditional Chinese system, imposed and adjusted at various times by royal statutes.[1] The details of the system have varied over time and location in Korea's history.[2][3] The 1897 Law on Weights and Measures uniting Korea's various local systems was the first legislation enacted upon the establishment of the Korean Empire.[4] During its long occupation, Japan imposed its standards on Korea. Two of the most common "traditional" units in South Korea—the pyeong of floorspace and the jeweler's don—were among those added by the Japanese.[5]

Südkorea

South Korea notionally adopted the metric system under Park Chung-hee in 1961,[6] with a strict law banning the use of the Korean pound, li, gwan, don, and—after metric conversion of the land registries—the pyeong.[4] The metrication remained so spotty as to be considered a failure,[5] with the government abandoning its attempts to enforce the statute by 1970.[4] The traditional units lard many Korean sayings[a] and much of its literature and poetry, including the national anthem, which mentions Korea's "three thousand lis of rivers and mountains".[5] Further attempts to fully metricate occurred in 1983,[8] 2000,[4] and 2001,[5] with publicity campaigns praising the metric system and condemning traditional units through TV and radio ads, brochures, signs, and contests.[9] A common theme was the origin of the 20th-century standard units under Japanese occupation; Yun Byeong-su of the Korea Association of Standards & Testing Organizations noted that "even Japan has forsaken the don for the units of grams and ounces but here we are standing around like idiots still blathering on about don."[4] Nonetheless, strong opposition from the construction and jewelry industries and negative media coverage forced Korean politicians to avoid the topic and regulators to settle for dual use of conventional and metric measures.[4]

A 2006 study found 88% of real estate companies and 71% of jewelers in 7 major markets were still using the pyeong and don,[5] after which the government decided to simply criminalize further commercial use of traditional units. The sale of rulers marking Korean feet was ended[4] and a Measure Act effective 1 July 2007 empowered the Ministry of Commerce to begin immediately levying fines of up to 500,000 for commercial use of the pyeong and don, with less common units enjoying a longer grace period.[5] The ban also included use of American units, such as describing the display size of televisions and computer monitors in terms of inches.[10][b] The "serving size" used for as an informal and variable measure of meat cuts was standardized to 100 g.[4] Knowledge of the fine remained low for years, and it was later increased to a maximum of 1,000,000 (about $800).[9]

Despite this strong official discouragement, some use continues in retail, manufacturing, and farming.[9] Even among those who adopt metric units, cheeky use of awkward metric fractions equivalent to round amounts of the former units is common, especially with regard to the very common pyeong of floorspace.[10] (Such treatment was avoided in the gold market by laws requiring pricing and denomination in even amounts of grams.)[4] Another dodge has been to treat the traditional units as a nondescript 'unit', such as marketing an air conditioner appropriate for a 20 py home as a "20-Type".[10]

North Korea

North Korea has long used the metric system in its state-run media and international publications,[11] but continues to use traditional units alongside the metric system[12] in sectors approved by the government.[13] North Korea's standards are administered by the State Administration of Quality Management in accordance with the Law on Metrology[14] ratified by the Supreme People's Assembly on 3 February 1993.[15] The metric system is thought not to have spread to domestic factories or stores prior to Kim Jong-un's metrification initiative, announced in May 2013.[11] The change was part of Kim's policy of stressing the importance of science and technology and its "universal trends".[11] His announcement in the state-run quarterly Cultural Language Study said that increasing use of the metric system would "strengthen international exchange and cooperation... in the fields of industry, science, and technology and even in the area of general social life".[11]

Length

The base unit of Korean length is the foot,[16] with other units changing over time based on its dimensions and multiples.

The biggest difference between the traditional Korean and Chinese units of length is that the Korean equivalent of the bu uses a different character and its pre-Tang composition of six Korean feet rather than five. (The bu was usually treated as a synonym of this unit within Korea but sometimes distinguished as a length of 4 feet.) In AD 369, during the reign of King Geunchogo of Baekje, his realm seems to have used a foot of about 28.85 cm.[3]

The Korean li previously bore values around 434.16 m (3rd century), 531.18 m (6th–7th), 559.8 m (7th–10th), and 552.96 m (10th–14th) before being standardized as 1/10 of the Japanese ri of 351/55 km in 1905.[17][c]

English Gloss Romanization Hangul Hanja Chinese Equivalent Korean Feet[9] Metric[9][18]
RR MR[9]

[d]
Bun P'un [[[wikt:分|分]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Fen 1100 0.3 cm
Korean Inch Chi
(Chon)
Ch'i
(Chon)

()
[[[wikt:寸|寸]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Cun 110 3 cm
Cha[18]
Chok[18]
Korean Foot
Ja
(Cheok)[16]
Cha
(Ch'ŏk)

()
[[[wikt:尺|尺]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Chi 1 30.3 cm
Kan[18] Gan Kan [[[wikt:間|間]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Bu () 6 1.818 m
Chung[18] Jeong Chŏng [[[wikt:町|町]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) 360 109.091 m
Korean Li[18]
Korean Mile
Ri Ri [[[wikt:里|里]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Li 1296 392.7 m

Area

The base unit of Korean area is the pyeong,[16] equivalent to a square kan or 36 square Korean feet. Despite being notionally illegal, the pyeong remains particularly common when discussing residential and commercial floorspace[20][21][10] and tiles.[8] A separate pyeong of 0.09 m² was used for selling glass.[4] The floorspace pyeong is still prevalent enough that it continues to be glossed in the government's promotional material for foreign investors.[22]

Farms and large estates were formerly generally measured in majigi, which is notionally not based on multiples of the pyeong but on the amount of land suitable for the planting of one mall of rice or grain seed.[23] In practice, it was standardized to the pyeong system but varied in size from province to province based on the average richness of their soil.

English Gloss Romanization Hangul Hanja Chinese Equivalent Pyeong Metric[20][18]
RR[20] MR
Pyeong[8][e] Pyeong P'yŏng [[[wikt:坪|坪]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Ping 1 3.306 
Myo[18] Mu Mu [[[wikt:畝|畝]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Mu 30 99.174 
Majigi[23][4] Majigi
(Durak)
(Durakji)
Majigi
(Turak)[24]
(Turakchi)
마지기
(두락)
(두락지)

([[[wikt:斗落|斗落]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help))
([[[wikt:斗落只|斗落只]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help))
variable[f]
Tan[18] Dan Tan [[[wikt:段|段]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) 300 991.74 
Chungbo[18] Jeong Chŏng [[[wikt:町|町]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) 3000 9917.4 

Weight

The base unit of Korean weight is the gwan.[16] At the time of Korea's metrification, however, the pound was in more common use. Although it was usually taken as equivalent to 600 g, as with red pepper and meats,[4] a separate pound of 400 g was used for fruits and another of 200 g was used for vegetables.[4]

The "bag" (kama) was a variable unit usually figured as 54 kg of unhusked rice or 60 kg of polished rice, although 90 kg "bags" were also used.[25]

English Gloss Romanization Hangul Hanja Chinese Equivalent Gwan[18] Metric[27][18]
RR MR[27]
Bun P'un [[[wikt:分|分]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Fen 110,000 0.375 g
Don[18]
Momme[18]
Don
(Chon)
Ton
(Chon)

()
[[[wikt:寸|寸]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Cun 11000 3.75 g
Yang[18]
Korean Ounce
Nyang
(Ryang)
Nyang
(Ryang)[28]

()
[[[wikt:兩|兩]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Liang 1100 37.5 g [g]
Keun[18]
Korean Pound
Geun Kŭn [[[wikt:斤|斤]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Catty or Jin 425 600 g
Kwan[18] Gwan Kwan [[[wikt:貫|貫]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) 1 3.750 kg

Volume

The base unit of Korean volume or capacity is the doi.[16]

In 3rd-century Gaya, the mal was reckoned at about 2 L, the size of the present-day doe.[3] In the early 17th century, the Joseon picul was reckoned as 15 or 20 mal, but similarly only comprised 89.464 or 119.285 L owing to the smaller size of the mal at that time.[30]

English Gloss Romanization Hangul Hanja Chinese Equivalent Doi[18] Metric[31][18]
RR MR[31]
Hop[18] Hob Hop [[[wikt:合|合]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Ge 110 0.180 L
Doi[18] Doe Toe [[[wikt:升|升]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Sheng 1 1.804 L
Large Mal[18]
Korean Bushel[23]
Mal Mal [[[wikt:斗|斗]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Dou 10 18.039 L
Suk[18]
Korean Picul
Seom
(Seok)
Sŏm
(Sŏk)[32]

()
[[[wikt:石|石]]] Error: {{Lang}}: script: kore not supported for code: ko (help) Picul or Dan 100 180.391 L

The United Nations also reported a "small mal" half the size of the standard mal.[18] In contexts involving volume, two cubic forms of "pyeong" were also formerly used. The pyeong of gravel was a cubic gan (about 6.01 m³);[8] the pyeong of firewood was ⅓ as much (about 2.0035 m³).[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ See, e.g., the proverbs on the importance of flattery and lying in Lee.[7]
  2. ^ A particular exception to this policy was made for the continued use of pounds for bowling ball sizes and yards on golf courses, owing to the international conventions of those sports.[4]
  3. ^ Both the 1955[18] and 1966 editions of the UN's report on national measurement systems report the Korean li as precisely equal to the Japanese ri, but this seems to be in error.[17]
  4. ^ Former romanizations of the bun include Bernadou's poun, which however he confuses with the chi.[19]
  5. ^ Other romanizations of the pyeong include pyong[8][10] and pyung.[18] It's abbreviated py in contexts employing Latin script.[8][22]
  6. ^ At the time of Korea's full metrification, a majigi was reckoned as 495 m² in Gyeonggi,[4] 660 m² in Chungcheong[4] and some parts of Gangwon,[25] and 990 m² in other parts of Gangwon.[4] A similarly variable unit was the kyŏl, whose size ran 2.2–9 acres (8,903–36,422 m2) depending upon the fertility of the land.[26]
  7. ^ Grayson gives 37.3 g.[29]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Kim (2010).
  2. ^ Fessley (2009), p. 1.
  3. ^ a b c Gwon (2010).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Jo (2006).
  5. ^ a b c d e f Hong (2007).
  6. ^ HMC (2007).
  7. ^ Lee (2006), p. 82.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Lord (2009), "What is a pyong?".
  9. ^ a b c d e f Fessley (2009), p. 4.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Pyeong, and Old Habits Dying Hard", Ask a Korean!, 21 July 2012.
  11. ^ a b c d YNA (2013).
  12. ^ TEG (2017).
  13. ^ DPRK (1993), Ch. II, §§13–15.
  14. ^ DPRK (1993).
  15. ^ CooMet (2013).
  16. ^ a b c d e Kim (2007).
  17. ^ a b Lord (2006), "Li".
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z UN (1955), III-59.
  19. ^ Bernadou (1890).
  20. ^ a b c Fessley (2009), p. 5.
  21. ^ Zatko (2011), p. 204.
  22. ^ a b KOTRA (2010).
  23. ^ a b c Yu & al. (2004), p. 178.
  24. ^ Palais (1996), p. 364.
  25. ^ a b Sorensen (1988), p. 280.
  26. ^ Palais (1996), p. 363.
  27. ^ a b Fessley (2009), p. 7.
  28. ^ Grayson (2001), p. 219.
  29. ^ Grayson (2001), p. 220.
  30. ^ Kim, p. 337.
  31. ^ a b Fessley (2009), p. 9.
  32. ^ Chung (2017), p. 198.

Bibliography