INTERVIEW Sign language steps into spotlight at Cheong Wa Dae

Park Ji-yeon, the presidential office’s official sign language interpreter, demonstrates part of the Korean Sign Language expression for “Cheong Wa Dae” in front of the presidential compound in central Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

As Korea’s presidential office returned to its historic home at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul in December, the presidential press briefing room has undergone one meaningful change.

Park Ji-yeon, the presidential office’s official sign language interpreter, now stands directly beside the speaker as statements are delivered. Previously, her sign language interpretation was conducted from a separate location and shown in a small overlay on the broadcast footage.

Park joined the presidential office as an in-house sign language interpreter in August. Park, who has 27 years of experience as a sign language interpreter, worked for 18 years at the National Assembly and National Assembly Television before being appointed exclusive sign language interpreter under the Lee Jae Myung administration.

It was then that the presidential office began offering sign language interpretation at official briefings, marking the first time in Korea’s history that a presidential administration has done so regularly.

While the move was intended as a symbolic and practical step toward greater inclusivity and accessibility, Park’s interpretation had initially remained largely out of view. Many broadcasters requested “clean” feeds that excluded the sign language window altogether, meaning many deaf people in Korea were not even aware that interpretation was being provided.

The presidential office’s relocation to Cheong Wa Dae provided an opportunity for change. With the reorganization, Park was repositioned to the front of the briefing room, interpreting alongside the speaker in full view of cameras.

“When broadcasters cut out the sign language window, deaf people lose access again,” Park said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “So I kept suggesting that it would be better if I stood next to the speaker and interpreted directly. That way, my interpretation couldn’t be edited out. And that’s how this became possible.”

Park Ji-yeon, right, the presidential office’s official sign language interpreter, stands beside presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon during a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Dec. 24, 2025. Yonhap

A calling, not a career

Park first encountered sign language at the age of 20 through volunteer work at church. The first people with disabilities she met were deaf individuals. At the time, she said, she struggled to understand what it meant to live in a world without sound. But through frequent interaction, she gradually became part of the deaf community.

She did not initially view sign language interpreting as a profession. Instead, she treated it as service and a calling, working for nearly 10 years as a volunteer and educator at church and kindergarden. Her career took a turn when veteran sign language interpreters recognized her skill and encouraged her to obtain formal qualifications, leading to her work at the National Assembly — and eventually to the presidential office.

Park says her greatest reward comes when members of the deaf community tell her they have learned something new through her.

“When people say, ‘I heard this for the first time. Thank you so much,’ that’s when I truly feel fulfilled,” she said. “That sense of fulfillment is part of what has driven me to dedicate nearly 30 years of my life to this work.”

Interpreting presidential briefings, however, is far from easy. The presidential office must address every policy area, often involving highly specialized language.

“AI (artificial intelligence), semiconductors, shipbuilding — these are not simple topics,” Park said.

To convey meaning accurately, she often restructures concepts rather than translating word-for-word. For example, she explains “AI sovereignty” as “AI that belongs uniquely to Korea.”

Learning from abroad for change

Park said she has been struck by scenes from countries like the U.S., where sign language interpreters routinely appear alongside officials during emergency briefings for disasters such as fires or floods.

“I hope the day comes when that feels natural in Korea, too,” she said. “Seeing sign language interpretation at Cheong Wa Dae’s press briefing is already a big part of that change.”

She hopes parents, educators and society will view deaf children not as lacking speech, but as users of a different language. Emphasizing that sign language is “visual” rather than spoken, she said deafness should not be viewed as a disability, noting that this way of communication often nurtures exceptional strengths in design, imagery and visual expression.

Park also criticized Korea’s deaf education system, citing a shortage of qualified sign language educators and declining enrollment at schools for the deaf, which she said reflects weak educational support.

“Social pressure in Korea still pushes them to speak like hearing people,” she noted. “Here, many still feel ashamed to use sign language because it makes them stand out. I hope Korean Sign Language can become more accepted and celebrated.”

She contrasted this with Deaf communities abroad, where identity is often expressed proudly with a capital “D,” reflecting strong pride in language, identity and belonging.

Park Ji-yeon, the presidential office’s official sign language interpreter, demonstrates "I love you" in American Sign Language in front of the main gate of Chunchugwan, the press center of Cheong Wa Dae, in central Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Vibrant culture of Deaf community

Park finds encouragement in the growing use of video calls, which allow deaf people to communicate freely, learn foreign sign languages and connect globally. She underscored the fact that many foreigners are now interested in learning Korean Sign Language, which is considered relatively easy among the world’s sign languages.

“Korean Sign Language is very well designed,” she said. “It’s intuitive and visually based, often modeled on real-world shapes. Because its structure and origins are so clear, many signs can be easily learned and expanded from basic hand shapes.”

To manage stress, Park enjoys films, musicals and visual art exhibitions — activities that also sharpen her skills.

“About 70 percent of sign language comes from facial expression,” she explained. “Facial expression is part of the language itself. Since there’s no sound, changes in expression replace tone, pitch and emotional nuance.”

Lastly, Park pointed to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., widely seen as the world’s leading institution for Deaf and hard-of-hearing education and social justice. A close deaf friend who works at the university sends her daily messages, offering feedback on her interpretations and sharing experiences and reflections from life within the Deaf community there. Park says she is deeply grateful for those exchanges.

“They remind me what is possible,” she said.

She hopes the same vibrancy, pride and confidence found in Deaf communities abroad will one day take root more fully in Korea, so that sign language is embraced not merely as an accommodation but as a living language and culture in its own right.