City pays shops to drop English for Korean signs

A street near Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, Seoul, is lined with signs in English in this file photo. Yonhap

Correction: The caption for the photo used in this article incorrectly stated that it was taken in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The photo was taken near Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, Seoul. The article has since been updated.

In Suwon, just south of Seoul, city officials are taking steps to make Korean streetscapes look — and read — a little more Korean.

The city announced a subsidy program this week to encourage small businesses to replace signboards written only in foreign languages with ones featuring Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Under the plan, stores will be eligible for up to 2 million won (about $1,450) to help cover design and installation costs. About 18 businesses will be selected for support in the first round, with application period open until Oct. 10.

Qualifying shops include those with signboards entirely in English or other foreign languages. Businesses can either switch entirely to Hangeul or add Korean lettering alongside foreign text.

City officials say the move is about more than signage. “We want to promote proper advertising practices while also sharing the beauty of Hangeul,” one Suwon official said, noting that smaller independent stores will get priority.

The initiative reflects a growing effort in Korea to safeguard cultural identity and linguistics, even as international brands and English-language signs loom large in urban commercial districts. For Suwon’s small shopkeepers, it’s also a chance to freshen up storefronts.