Creative Execution

In order for young N. Koreans to settle well in the South Korean society, we believed that directly helping them should come simultaneously with improving people’s perception towards them. By creating the translator app., which offers a service that is available nowhere else, not even on Google Translate, we aimed to provide substantial help in their studies, while also drawing people’s attention to the seriousness of linguistic difficulties they face here. We launched the app. at the Android market on March 18 and at Apple Store on April 21.

There are about 2,183 young N. Korean defectors living in S. Korea. During the first 3 weeks of launching, the app. was downloaded about 2,000 times. Even more meaningful was how many S. Koreans downloaded it too. Although the number of the actual app. users was not significant, the very existence of the translator translating Korean into Korean drew people’s attention. The app. was featured in the media 47 times. One of S. Korea’s most popular news anchor introduced this app. during the headline news as “a translator that translates not only words but also minds”. With cooperation from Korea Hana Foundation (affiliated with the Ministry of Unification) DreamTouchForAll is planning to hold an essay contest for N.Korean students. It has effectively kick-started active discussion on the language gap between the two Koreas and the issue of young N. Koreans.

To help young N.Korean defectors get proper education and to let South Koreans understand and become a little more tolerant to the linguistic differences. We hoped to create social atmosphere that encourages young N.Koreans. Ultimately, we hoped this app. would contribute to preparing for the reunification of Korea. DreamTouchForAll annually hosts a summer camp for young N. Koreans and S. Koreans. Young N. Koreans we met there were more shy and introvert compared to S. Korean kids. We realized that language was a key factor in building up their confidence and adjusting well in S. Korea. So we created South Korean-North Korean translator app.