Indonesian Tribe Learns Korean Writing System

(Sulawesi, Indonesia) An illiterate tribe in a remote part of Indonesia has decided to enter the modern world by adopting a written communications system. They chose to use the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, as their official language.

"A tribe in the city of Bauer and Bauer in Sulawesi has selected Hangeul as the official alphabet to transcribe its native language that has no writing system," the Hunminjeongeum Research Institute said in a statement. "The tribe with a population of 60,000 was on the verge of losing its language due to a lack of tool to hand it down to its descendants."

According to the institute, since last month, dozens of children in the tribe have learned, on a regular basis, how to write, read, and pronounce the Korean alphabet based on a textbook provided by the institute. Another 140 high school students in the city have recently followed suit, it added. [...]

Linguists here hailed the decision, raising hopes that this will lead to Korean becoming an international language like English.

"It will be a meaningful case in history if the Indonesian tribe succeed in maintaining its aboriginal language with the help of Hangeul," said Prof. Kim Joo-won of Seoul National University who has initiated the landmark project.

It's interesting that the Indonesian government didn't step in and encourage the use of the Indonesian or English languages, both of which are officially recognized.