Translation
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the European Union, signed in 2010, stands as a striking example of how translation errors can significantly impact international agreements. During the ratification process, over 200 errors were discovered in the Korean version of the treaty, causing political embarrassment, delays in implementation, and raising concerns about the accuracy of legal translations.
The FTA between South Korea and the EU aimed to eliminate 98% of tariffs and reduce trade barriers on goods and services over a five-year period. Considered one of the most ambitious agreements for both parties, it promised to significantly boost bilateral trade. However, the discovery of numerous translation mistakes in the Korean version complicated the ratification process.
Discovery of the Translation Errors
In 2011, during the parliamentary review of the treaty, 207 translation errors were identified in the Korean version. These included mistranslations of technical and legal terms, as well as unauthorized omissions and additions. For example, the term “transplant” was mistakenly translated as “transfusion”, and “subsidiary” was translated as “local subsidiary”. Moreover, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was incorrectly translated as “Organisation for Development and Economic Co-operation.”
The discovery triggered a wave of criticism toward South Korea’s Ministry of Trade. Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon acknowledged the gravity of the situation, attributing the errors to excessive pressure on staff and a lack of proper review. He publicly apologized and emphasized the ministry’s intention to correct the mistakes and resubmit the treaty for parliamentary ratification.
Consequences for the Ratification Process
Due to the errors, the South Korean government withdrew the original text of the treaty from Parliament to make the necessary corrections. This caused a delay in the ratification process and cast doubt on the competence and reliability of official translations. Meanwhile, the European Parliament had already ratified the agreement, increasing the pressure on South Korea to quickly resolve the discrepancies.
This incident underscored the critical importance of accurate translations in legal and international documents. In response, the South Korean Ministry of Trade announced plans to review all existing and future FTA translations and to implement stricter procedures to ensure accuracy and reliability.
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