Korean Special Education Glossary: Essential Terms for Expat Parents
Navigating South Korea's special education system in English is possible — but only if you can recognize key terms in Korean and use them correctly when communicating with administrators, district offices, and school staff. Saying "IEP" to a Korean school secretary will produce a blank look. Saying gaebyelwha gyoyuk gyehoek will start a process.
This glossary covers the terms that appear most frequently in the special education process: evaluation requests, IEP meetings, placement decisions, disability registration, and therapy access. Each entry gives the English term, the Korean Romanization (phonetic pronunciation), and the Hangeul (Korean script).
Core system structures
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | Teuksu gyoyuk | 특수교육 |
| Special Education Support Centre | Teuksu gyoyuk jiwon senteo | 특수교육지원센터 |
| Special Education Evaluation Committee | Teuksu gyoyuk unyeong wiwonhoe | 특수교육운영위원회 |
| National Institute of Special Education | Guklib teuksu gyoyukwon (NISE) | 국립특수교육원 |
| Office of Education (district level) | Gyoyukcheong | 교육청 |
| Ministry of Education | Gyoyukbu | 교육부 |
School placement terms
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Regular / Mainstream Class | Ilban hakgeup | 일반학급 |
| Special Class (in mainstream school) | Teuksu hakgeup | 특수학급 |
| Special School | Teuksu hakgyo | 특수학교 |
| Paraprofessional / Aide | Bojoingryeok | 보조인력 |
| Placement Decision | Baechi | 배치 |
IEP and assessment terms
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Individualized Education Plan (IEP) | Gaebyelwha gyoyuk gyehoek | 개별화교육계획 |
| IEP Team | Gaebyelwha gyoyuk jiwon tim | 개별화교육지원팀 |
| Special Education Teacher | Teuksu gyoyuk gyosa | 특수교육 교사 |
| Homeroom Teacher | Damim | 담임 |
| Eligibility Determination | Teuksu gyoyuk daesangja seonjeong | 특수교육대상자 선정 |
| Request for Review / Appeal | Simsa cheonggu | 심사 청구 |
| Evaluation | Pyeongga | 평가 |
| Assessment | Jindan | 진단 |
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Disability categories (Article 15 of the Special Education Act)
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorder | Japyeoseongjangae | 자폐성장애 |
| Intellectual Disability | Jijeokjangae | 지적장애 |
| Learning Disability | Hakseupjangae | 학습장애 |
| Emotional / Behavioral Disorder | Jeongseo·haengdongjangae | 정서·행동장애 |
| Communication / Speech Disorder | Uisasotongjangae | 의사소통장애 |
| Visual Impairment | Sigakjangae | 시각장애 |
| Hearing Impairment | Cheonggakjangae | 청각장애 |
| Physical / Motor Disability | Jichejangae | 지체장애 |
| Health Impairment | Geongangjangae | 건강장애 |
| Developmental Delay (under age 9) | Baldaljiche | 발달지체 |
Related services (therapy)
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Related Services (general) | Teuksu gyoyuk gwanryeon seobiseu | 특수교육관련서비스 |
| Speech / Language Therapy | Eoneo chiryo | 언어치료 |
| Occupational Therapy | Jageop chiryo | 작업치료 |
| Physical Therapy | Mulli chiryo | 물리치료 |
| Therapy Support Voucher | Chiryojiwon bauceo | 치료지원 바우처 |
| Developmental Rehabilitation Center | Baldal jaebal senteo | 발달재활서비스 |
| Special Education Hagwon | Teuksu hagwon | 특수학원 |
Disability registration and welfare
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Disability Registration | Jangaein deungnok | 장애인 등록 |
| Disability Welfare Card | Bokji kadeu | 복지카드 |
| Disability | Jangae | 장애 |
| Person with a Disability | Jangaein | 장애인 |
| District Office | Gu-cheong | 구청 |
| Multicultural Family | Damunhwa gajok | 다문화가족 |
| Multicultural Family Support Center | Damunhwa gajok jiwon senteo | 다문화가족지원센터 |
Healthcare navigation terms
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist | Soacheongsonyeon jeongsingwa | 소아청소년 정신과 |
| Tertiary University Hospital | Daehak byeongwon | 대학병원 |
| General Hospital | Byeongwon | 병원 |
| Neighborhood Clinic | Uiwon | 의원 |
| Referral | Uiroeso | 의뢰서 |
| Diagnosis | Jindan | 진단 |
Advocacy and cultural terms
| English | Romanization | Hangeul |
|---|---|---|
| Principal | Gyo-jang | 교장 |
| Addressing the principal (formal) | Gyo-jang seonsaeng-nim | 교장 선생님 |
| Addressing a teacher (formal) | [Surname] seonsaeng-nim | 선생님 |
| Education Fever (cultural term) | Gyoyukyeol | 교육열 |
| Private Academy | Hagwon | 학원 |
| Suneung (college entrance exam) | Suneung | 수능 |
| National Human Rights Commission | Gukga Inggwon Wiwonhoe | 국가인권위원회 |
How to use this glossary
In written requests. When you send a written request for evaluation to the Special Education Support Centre, use the Korean term teuksu gyoyuk jiwon senteo in the address and cite Article 15 and Article 22 of Jangaein deung-e daehan teuksu gyoyukbeop (the Special Education Act). This signals administrative familiarity and typically produces faster, more serious responses.
In meetings. Using the Korean term for what you are requesting — "우리 아이의 개별화교육계획 (gaebyelwha gyoyuk gyehoek)을 검토하고 싶습니다" ("I would like to review my child's IEP") — demonstrates preparation and tends to shift the dynamic.
On paperwork. Korean educational and medical documents are dense with formal bureaucratic language. Recognizing terms like seonjeong (eligibility determination), baechi (placement), and simsa cheonggu (appeal request) on documents means you can follow the process even before translation is complete.
This glossary covers the most critical terms. The full South Korea Special Education Blueprint includes a comprehensive Hangeul/Romanization/English reference section alongside the procedural guidance for each stage of the process — designed as an active reference document for meetings, document review, and written communication with Korean school administrators.
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