기관 언어와 절차Institutional Language and Procedures
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Recognize and use core institutional and administrative vocabulary in formal deferential register.
- Describe a multi-step procedure in order, using sequencing expressions appropriate to formal writing and speech.
- Make a formal request or inquiry to an institution, office, or public service, using appropriately deferential phrasing.
- Read and interpret a short administrative notice, application guideline, or office procedure text.
- Write a short formal request suitable for an office, school administration, or public institution.
- Maintain consistent formal register across an entire institutional interaction, applying the discipline developed in Chapter 1.
This chapter introduces no new particles, endings, or clause structures beyond what Volume III has already activated. It applies the register discipline from Chapter 1 to a new domain — institutional and administrative communication — and expands productive vocabulary and procedural sequencing language.
Opening Scenario
A week into the semester, 민준 needs to request an official enrollment certificate from the university's administrative office for a visa renewal, and 수아 must submit a formal request to extend a library book loan for her research project. Both need to communicate with institutional staff they have never met, in writing and in person, using language that is clear, procedurally accurate, and consistently formal from the first sentence to the last. 박 교수님 uses their two errands as an opportunity to introduce the class to the vocabulary and sentence patterns of institutional life — the language of offices, forms, procedures, and formal requests that appears throughout universities, government offices, banks, and other public institutions in Korea.
- You will learn vocabulary and expressions for describing institutional procedures step by step.
- You will practice making formal requests and inquiries appropriate to an office or public institution.
- You will read and respond to an administrative notice while maintaining consistent formal register.
Core Vocabulary
The following items are productive for this chapter. They support describing institutional procedures and making formal requests.
| Korean | Meaning | Category / Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 기관 | institution, organization | noun (Sino-Korean) |
| 절차 | procedure, process | noun (Sino-Korean) |
| 신청서 | application form | noun |
| 신청하다 | to apply, to submit an application | action verb; 을/를 governs the item applied for |
| 제출하다 | to submit (a document) | action verb |
| 발급하다 | to issue (a document, certificate) | action verb; often passive-adjacent 발급되다 |
| 증명서 | certificate, official document | noun |
| 담당자 | the person in charge, the responsible staff member | noun |
| 창구 | service window, counter | noun |
| 접수하다 | to receive and process (an application, document) | action verb |
| 처리하다 | to process, to handle (a matter) | action verb |
| 기한 | deadline, time limit | noun |
| 연장하다 | to extend (a period, deadline) | action verb |
| 문의하다 | to inquire, to ask formally | action verb; 에/에게 governs the recipient |
| 요청하다 | to request formally | action verb |
| 우선 | first, first of all (sequencing) | adverb |
| 그다음에 | next, after that (sequencing) | adverb / connector phrase |
| 마지막으로 | lastly, finally (sequencing) | adverb |
| 서류 | document(s), paperwork | noun |
| 규정 | regulation, rule | noun (Sino-Korean) |
Receptive Vocabulary — Office and Institutional Signage
The following items are receptive. Learners recognize them on forms, signs, and notices; they are not assessed as an independent productive set.
| Korean | Meaning | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 민원실 | civil affairs office, public service office | receptive, institutional signage |
| 구비 서류 | required documents (formal listing term) | receptive, formal document label |
These terms support reading signs and forms accurately. They are not assessed productively in this chapter.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter introduces no new sound-change rule. Its productive vocabulary is dense with Sino-Korean compounds such as 신청서, 증명서, and 담당자. In careful formal speech, these compounds are pronounced with clear syllable-by-syllable articulation rather than the more contracted rhythm of casual conversation, since institutional staff frequently rely on precise pronunciation to identify which document or procedure a speaker means.
Pay particular attention to batchim before the following syllable in compounds like 접수하다 and 발급하다, where a rushed pronunciation can blur the boundary between syllables and cause confusion at a service window.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter refines procedure description and formal request-making. It does not introduce new particles, endings, or clause structures beyond what Volume III has already activated. The task is applying familiar systems — sequencing connectors, the formal deferential style, and polite request forms — to institutional communication.
1. Sequencing a Procedure — 우선, 그다음에, 마지막으로
Describing an institutional procedure clearly requires marking each step in order. 우선 introduces the first step, 그다음에 introduces a following step, and 마지막으로 introduces the final step. These combine naturally with the deferential -습니다 style already active since Volume II.
- 우선 신청서를 작성해야 합니다.First, you must fill out the application form.
- 그다음에 서류를 창구에 제출합니다.Next, you submit the documents at the window.
- 마지막으로 담당자가 서류를 접수한 후에 증명서가 발급됩니다.Lastly, after the staff member processes the documents, the certificate is issued.
2. Formal Requests — -아/어 주시기 바랍니다 and 문의드리다
-아/어 주시기 바랍니다 was previewed in Chapter 1's register comparison table. In institutional contexts, it is the standard way to make a formal request in writing, more distant and more formal than the everyday -아/어 주세요. The humble verb 문의드리다 ("to humbly inquire") softens a request further when writing to an institution or a person of higher status.
- 증명서 발급 절차를 문의드립니다.I am writing to inquire about the certificate-issuance procedure. (humble, formal)증명서 발급 절차를 [object] + 문의드립니다 [humble formal verb]
- 기한을 일주일 연장해 주시기 바랍니다.I would like to request that the deadline be extended by one week.
3. Describing Regulations and Requirements — -아/어야 하다 and 규정
The obligation pattern -아/어야 하다, active since Volume II, is central to describing institutional requirements. Combine it with 규정 to describe what a rule requires, and with the noun-modifying forms already active to describe required documents precisely.
- 규정에 따라 여권 사본을 제출해야 합니다.According to the regulations, you must submit a copy of your passport.
- 기한 내에 접수된 서류만 처리됩니다.Only documents received within the deadline are processed.
우선, [step 1] + 그다음에, [step 2] + 마지막으로, [step 3, result] = 절차 설명
우선 신청서를 작성해야 합니다. 그다음에 서류를 창구에 제출합니다. 마지막으로 담당자가 서류를 접수한 후에 증명서가 발급됩니다.
First, you must fill out the application form. Next, you submit the documents at the window. Lastly, after the staff member processes the documents, the certificate is issued.
| Function | Everyday polite | Formal institutional |
|---|---|---|
| request | 확인해 주세요 | 확인해 주시기 바랍니다 |
| inquiry | 물어볼게요 | 문의드립니다 |
| obligation | 내야 해요 | 제출해야 합니다 |
| result/passive-adjacent | 나와요 | 발급됩니다 |
Practice — Procedure and formal request
- Using 우선, 그다음에, and 마지막으로, describe the three steps of applying for a library card at your own institution, in formal deferential style.
- Rewrite the everyday request 이거 좀 봐 주세요 as a formal institutional request appropriate for a written inquiry.
- Write one sentence using 규정에 따라 and -아/어야 하다 to describe a requirement at your own school or workplace.
- Identify which sentence in the Building Block example states the result of the procedure, and explain how you identified it.
Model Dialogue
민준 visits the university's administrative office to request an enrollment certificate for a visa renewal.
Context: a student speaking with an administrative staff member at a university office window. Formal deferential register is expected throughout, since this is an institutional service interaction.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What three steps does 담당자 describe for obtaining the enrollment certificate?
- According to the regulations, how long does issuance take after documents are received?
- Why does 담당자 ask whether 민준 needs an English-language certificate?
- What must 민준 do at the very end of the procedure, according to 담당자's last instruction?
Guided Practice
- Choose a real or realistic institutional procedure you have experienced (registering for a class, opening a bank account, requesting a document) and list its steps in English.
- Translate your list into three or four Korean sentences using 우선, 그다음에, and 마지막으로 in formal deferential style.
- Underline every predicate ending in your procedure description and confirm that all match the formal register.
- Add one sentence describing a requirement or regulation related to your procedure, using 규정에 따라 or -아/어야 하다.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a measured pace. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
안내 방송: 여권 재발급 절차
여권 재발급을 원하시는 분들께 안내해 드립니다. 우선 신청서와 사진, 신분증을 준비하시기 바랍니다. 그다음에 담당 창구에서 서류를 접수하시면 됩니다. 접수된 서류는 규정에 따라 검토되며, 문제가 없을 경우 영업일 기준 나흘 이내에 여권이 발급됩니다. 기한 내에 서류를 준비하지 못하신 경우에는 담당자에게 미리 문의하시기 바랍니다. 마지막으로, 발급된 여권은 본인이 직접 방문하여 수령하셔야 합니다.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| What three items must be prepared first? | ______ |
| How long does issuance take if there are no problems? | ______ |
| What should someone do if they cannot prepare the documents in time? | ______ |
| How must the issued passport be collected? | ______ |
Reading Practice
Read the following short administrative notice posted at a university library, then answer the questions that follow.
공지: 도서 대출 기한 연장 안내
도서관에서는 대출 기한 연장 절차를 다음과 같이 안내해 드립니다. 우선 도서관 홈페이지에 로그인하신 후 대출 현황을 확인하시기 바랍니다. 그다음에 연장하고자 하는 도서를 선택하여 연장 신청 버튼을 누르시면 됩니다. 다만 다른 이용자가 예약한 도서는 규정에 따라 연장이 불가능합니다. 연장은 1회에 한하며, 기존 대출 기한으로부터 2주간 추가로 연장됩니다. 온라인으로 연장이 어려우신 경우에는 담당 창구에 직접 문의하시기 바랍니다.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What are the first two steps for extending a book loan online?
- Under what condition is extension not possible?
- How many times can a loan be extended, and by how long?
- What should a user do if the online extension is difficult?
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task asks you to write a short formal request suitable for an office, school administration, or public institution, following the reading passage's procedure and Chapter 1's register discipline.
현재 대출 중인 도서의 반납 기한을 연장하고 싶어서 문의드립니다. 온라인으로 연장을 시도했으나 다른 이용자가 예약한 도서라는 안내가 나와서 연장이 되지 않았습니다.
해당 도서가 제 연구에 계속 필요한 자료라서, 예외적으로 연장이 가능한지 확인 부탁드립니다. 확인해 주시면 감사하겠습니다.
I am writing to ask whether I might extend the return deadline for a book I currently have on loan. I tried to extend it online, but was informed that another user has reserved the book, so the extension was not processed.
Since this material remains necessary for my research, I would appreciate your confirming whether an exceptional extension might be possible. I would be grateful if you could look into this.
- Choose your situation. Select a realistic institutional request: extending a deadline, requesting a document, or inquiring about a procedure.
- Open formally. Introduce yourself briefly and state your affiliation, following the model email's opening.
- State your request clearly. Use 문의드립니다, 요청드립니다, or -아/어 주시기 바랍니다 to state what you need.
- Give necessary background. Briefly explain why you are making the request, in one or two sentences.
- Close formally. End with a polite closing request for confirmation or action, as in the model email.
- Check the whole, not just the sentence. Read your email aloud once, checking that formal register is unbroken from first word to last.
체크리스트 — Checklist:
- Every predicate ending is in consistent formal deferential register.
- The request is stated clearly, with necessary background information.
- At least one sequencing expression or procedural term from this chapter's vocabulary is used correctly.
- Spacing, particles, and Hangeul spelling are accurate throughout.
- Only Hangeul is used; no romanization appears.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: 절차 설명하기
Say your three-step procedure description from the Guided Practice section aloud, using 우선, 그다음에, and 마지막으로 clearly and in consistent formal register.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 창구에서 문의하기
With a partner, role-play the Model Dialogue scene: one person plays a student requesting a document, and the other plays the administrative staff member. Adapt the procedure to a different document, such as a transcript or a certificate of graduation.
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself both asking for a document at an imagined office window and answering as the staff member describing the procedure. Listen back and check that your formal register does not drift into everyday polite speech at any point.
Culture and Communication
In many South Korean institutional settings — university offices, government service centers, banks — service staff typically use consistently formal deferential register with visitors regardless of the visitor's age or status, and visitors are generally expected to respond in the same register. This differs from casual service encounters, such as ordering at a small café, where everyday polite speech is common on both sides.
Formal written requests to Korean institutions commonly open with a brief self-identification (name, affiliation, or student number), state the request clearly, and close with a polite expression of thanks for the reader's attention, as modeled in this chapter's writing workshop.
The specific steps, required documents, and processing times described in this chapter's dialogue and readings reflect common institutional patterns, but exact procedures vary by university, government office, and region. Always confirm current requirements with the specific institution involved.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 기한 좀 늘려 주세요.
Correction: 기한을 연장해 주시기 바랍니다. — use the formal request pattern and precise vocabulary in written institutional communication rather than the casual spoken form.
Error: 신청서를 작성합니다. 서류를 제출합니다. 증명서가 발급됩니다. — technically correct but unclear as an ordered procedure.
Correction: Mark each step with 우선, 그다음에, or 마지막으로 so that the sequence is unambiguous to the reader or listener.
Error: 연장해 주시기 바랍니다. — with no explanation of what is being extended or why.
Correction: State clearly what is being requested and provide brief, relevant background, as in the model email in the Writing Workshop.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. Give the meaning of 절차, 접수하다, and 발급하다, and use each in an original sentence.
2. Explain the difference between 신청하다 and 제출하다.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Rewrite the following as a formal institutional request: 이거 좀 확인해 주세요.
2. Write a three-step procedure description using 우선, 그다음에, and 마지막으로 for a process of your choice.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. Summarize the library extension notice in three or four English sentences, including its steps, its exception, and its limit.
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Complete the Writing Workshop email, following the steps and checklist above.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. Role-play the office-window scene with a partner or recording, following the Speaking Practice guidance above.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles the register-consistency discipline from Chapter 1, the formal deferential style from Volume II and III, and the obligation pattern -아/어야 하다 from earlier volumes. It introduces no new particles or clause structures and prepares learners for the advanced comparison and analysis work of Chapter 3.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제 — Chapter Performance Task
기관 요청 작성 — Composing an Institutional Request
You will read an institutional notice, describe a procedure in order, and write a formal request suitable for a real institutional situation.
- Reading: Read the library notice and answer the comprehension questions above.
- Speaking: Describe a three-step institutional procedure aloud, using sequencing expressions in consistent formal register.
- Writing: Write a formal request email following the Writing Workshop model and checklist.
- Spoken check: Read your email aloud to a partner, group, or recording, and identify any remaining register drift.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Reading comprehension | Library notice details are correctly identified |
| Procedure sequencing | Steps are ordered clearly using 우선, 그다음에, and 마지막으로 |
| Formal request quality | Request is stated clearly with appropriate background and closing |
| Register consistency | Every predicate ending matches formal deferential register |
| Vocabulary control | Chapter vocabulary is used accurately and appropriately |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout, no romanization |
| Scope discipline | No structures used productively beyond Volume III, Chapters 1–20, or Chapters 1–2's new vocabulary |
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 담당자 describes: first, fill out the application form; next, present the student ID at the window; lastly, sign and submit the form after indicating whether the English version is needed.
- According to the regulations, issuance takes place within one day after the documents are received.
- 담당자 asks because 민준's certificate appears to be for a visa-related purpose, which typically requires an English-language version.
- 민준 must sign the form and then submit it, according to 담당자's last instruction.
Listening comprehension
- The three items to prepare first are the application form, a photo, and identification.
- If there are no problems, the passport is issued within four business days.
- If someone cannot prepare the documents in time, they should inquire with the staff member in advance.
- The issued passport must be collected in person by the applicant themselves.
Reading comprehension
- The first two steps are logging into the library website and checking one's current loan status, then selecting the book to extend and pressing the extension button.
- Extension is not possible if another user has reserved the book.
- A loan can be extended once, for an additional two weeks from the original due date.
- If online extension is difficult, the user should inquire directly at the responsible service window.
Chapter Review — Section B
1. Corrected: 확인해 주시기 바랍니다.
2. Sample response: 우선 학생증을 준비합니다. 그다음에 도서관 창구에서 대출을 신청합니다. 마지막으로 담당자가 확인한 후에 도서가 대출됩니다.
Section D — Sample response
Sample email closing sentence: 확인해 주시면 감사하겠습니다.
Check that: every ending in the email matches formal register, the request and background are stated clearly, and at least one sequencing or procedural term is used correctly.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can describe an institutional procedure step by step in consistent formal register, make a formal request or inquiry to an office or public institution, and read and respond to an administrative notice. This continues Unit I, 공식 담화와 분석 (Formal Discourse and Analysis), in Speak and Write Korean Volume IV: Professional, Academic, Media, and Institutional Korean.