법률·행정 언어의 기초Legal and Administrative Language for General Purposes
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Recognize and use general vocabulary for rights, obligations, and restrictions in everyday legal and administrative contexts.
- Read and complete common general-purpose forms and notices with accurate register and formatting.
- Express what a person is permitted to do, required to do, and prohibited from doing, using level-appropriate structures.
- State the boundaries or conditions attached to a right or obligation without overstating what a document actually permits.
- Read a short lease-related notice or general administrative text and identify the parties, rights, obligations, and restrictions it describes.
- Write and speak about a general administrative situation while distinguishing what is required, permitted, and restricted.
This chapter continues Unit II, 미디어와 공공 쟁점 (Media and Public Issues), extending the institutional vocabulary and careful-claim language from Chapter 8 into general legal and administrative contexts. It introduces rights/obligations vocabulary and form-reading conventions as new productive systems, while continuing to consolidate careful-claim hedging and institutional vocabulary from Chapter 8. This chapter addresses general-purpose legal and administrative language for everyday situations. It does not provide legal advice, and it does not attempt specialized legal, contractual, or professional legal training.
Opening Scenario
수아 is helping a new international student, 마이클, read the standard lease notice attached to his housing contract near campus. 마이클 is confused: some lines describe what he must do, some describe what he is allowed to do, and some describe what he is not allowed to do, but the formal, deferential style makes it hard for him to tell which is which. 박 교수님 explains that general legal and administrative Korean marks obligation, permission, and prohibition with specific, recognizable patterns, and that careful readers pay close attention to conditions and exceptions attached to each one — a right is rarely unconditional, and an obligation often has a stated boundary. Today's goal is to learn the vocabulary and sentence patterns needed to read, discuss, and write about general rights, obligations, restrictions, and their boundaries — not to interpret an actual legal document professionally.
- You will learn vocabulary for rights, obligations, forms, and restrictions in general administrative Korean.
- You will learn to identify obligation, permission, and prohibition patterns and the conditions attached to them.
- You will read a general lease-related notice, then write and speak about a general administrative situation of your own.
Unit II Overview
Unit II, 미디어와 공공 쟁점 (Media and Public Issues), runs from Chapter 6 through Chapter 10. It builds media literacy, formal spoken interaction, civic vocabulary, and general legal/administrative awareness before a unit assessment in Chapter 10.
| Chapter | Focus | Principal new systems |
|---|---|---|
| Ch. 6 | Reading Media Critically | headline style, framing, source voice, report structure |
| Ch. 7 | Interviews and Public Discussion | formal spoken Korean, turns, stance, clarification |
| Ch. 8 | Social and Civic Issues | public issue analysis, careful claims, institutional vocabulary |
| Ch. 9 | Legal and Administrative Language for General Purposes | rights/obligations vocabulary, forms, restrictions, boundaries |
| Ch. 10 | Unit II Assessment | media dossier and public explanation (consolidation only) |
Chapter 9 applies the institutional vocabulary and careful-claim hedging from Chapter 8 to general legal and administrative texts, and prepares learners for the Unit II assessment in Chapter 10.
Core Vocabulary
The following items support reading and discussing general rights, obligations, forms, and restrictions at a B2–C1 level. All items are productive unless labeled receptive. This vocabulary supports general comprehension and communication; it is not specialized legal terminology.
| Korean | Category | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 권리 | noun | right | 권리를 가지다/행사하다 (to have/exercise a right) |
| 의무 | noun | obligation, duty | 의무를 다하다 (to fulfill an obligation) |
| 계약 | noun | contract, agreement | 계약을 맺다/체결하다 (to enter into a contract) |
| 계약서 | noun | written contract, contract document | — |
| 조항 | noun | clause, provision (of a document) | — |
| 조건 | noun | condition | 조건을 붙이다 (to attach a condition) |
| 규정 | noun | regulation, rule | 규정에 따르다 (to comply with a regulation) |
| 위반하다 | action verb | to violate, to breach | 규정을 위반하다 (to violate a regulation) |
| 준수하다 | action verb | to comply with, to observe | formal register |
| 신청서 | noun | application form | 신청서를 작성하다/제출하다 |
| 작성하다 | action verb | to fill out, to draft (a document) | — |
| 제출하다 | action verb | to submit | — |
| 서명하다 | action verb | to sign | — |
| 동의하다 | action verb | to agree, to consent | — |
| 해지하다 | action verb | to terminate (a contract) | 계약을 해지하다 |
| 기한 | noun | deadline, time limit | 기한 내에 (within the deadline) |
| 연장하다 | action verb | to extend (a period) | — |
| 보증금 | noun | deposit (housing) | — |
| 임대인 | noun | landlord, lessor | — |
| 임차인 | noun | tenant, lessee | — |
| 책임 | noun | responsibility, liability | 책임을 지다 (to bear responsibility) |
| 제한하다 | action verb | to restrict, to limit | — |
| 허용하다 | action verb | to permit, to allow | — |
| 금지하다 | action verb | to prohibit | — |
| 예외 | noun | exception | 예외를 인정하다 (to recognize an exception) |
| 본인 | noun | the person themself, the applicant | formal self-reference on forms |
| 담당 부서 | noun phrase | responsible department/office | — |
| 증빙 서류 | noun phrase | supporting documents | receptive-leaning, formal document term |
| 유효하다 | descriptive verb | to be valid, to be in effect | — |
| 무효 | noun | invalidity, being void | 계약이 무효가 되다 |
| -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다 | pattern | to have an obligation to ~ | obligation pattern |
| -(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다 | pattern | to have a right to ~ | right/permission pattern |
| -아/어서는 안 되다 | pattern | must not ~, may not ~ | prohibition, more formal than -지 마세요 |
| 단, ~ | discourse marker | however, provided that ~ | introduces a condition or exception, formal register |
| ~에 한하여 | phrase | only in the case of ~, limited to ~ | scope-limiting phrase for formal documents |
| 해당하다 | action verb | to apply (to a case), to correspond to | 이 조항이 해당한다 (this clause applies) |
Receptive/analytical items in this chapter: 증빙 서류. This may be recognized and discussed but is not independently assessed as productive vocabulary. This chapter's vocabulary supports general comprehension of everyday administrative and lease-related documents; it is not a substitute for professional legal terminology or legal advice.
Pronunciation Focus
When formal clauses such as -아/어서는 안 됩니다 are read aloud, they are typically produced with even, unhurried pacing and a clear boundary before the negative ending, rather than being rushed together with the preceding clause. This helps the listener register the prohibition clearly.
The discourse marker 단, is usually followed by a short pause in careful reading, since it signals that a condition or exception is about to be introduced. Skipping this pause can cause a listener to miss that a restriction has just been qualified.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces obligation, permission, prohibition, and condition/exception patterns as new productive systems, applied to general legal and administrative contexts. It builds on the institutional vocabulary and careful-claim hedging from Chapter 8, since rights and obligations in real documents are almost always bounded by conditions rather than absolute.
1. Stating an Obligation
General administrative Korean states an obligation using -아/어야 하다 (from earlier volumes) or the more formal -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다, which names the obligation as a noun.
- 임차인은 매달 정해진 날짜에 임대료를 내야 한다.The tenant must pay the rent on the set date each month.-아/어야 하다 = ordinary obligation, familiar from earlier volumes
- 신청자는 기한 내에 서류를 제출할 의무가 있다.The applicant has an obligation to submit the documents within the deadline.-(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다 = formal, names the obligation explicitly
2. Stating a Right or Permission
A right or permission is stated with -(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다, or with 허용하다/허용되다 when describing what a rule or institution permits.
- 임차인은 계약 기간 중 계약 해지를 요구할 권리가 있다.The tenant has the right to request termination of the contract during the contract period.-(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다 = formal right-statement pattern
- 사전 동의를 받은 경우에 한하여 전대가 허용된다.Subletting is permitted only in cases where prior consent has been obtained.허용되다 (passive) + ~에 한하여 = permission explicitly bounded by a condition
3. Stating a Prohibition
General documents often use the more formal -아/어서는 안 되다 for prohibition, alongside 금지하다 for naming what is prohibited as an institutional act.
- 임차인은 임대인의 동의 없이 구조를 변경해서는 안 된다.The tenant must not alter the structure without the landlord's consent.-아/어서는 안 되다 = formal prohibition, stronger register than -지 마세요
- 이 규정은 상업적 용도로의 사용을 금지한다.This regulation prohibits use for commercial purposes.금지하다 = institutional/regulatory prohibition as a transitive verb
4. Attaching a Condition or Exception
Rights, obligations, and prohibitions in real documents are rarely unconditional. Careful reading and writing identify the condition or exception attached to each one, often marked by 단, or ~에 한하여.
- 계약은 자동으로 연장된다. 단, 계약 만료 한 달 전까지 해지 의사를 통보한 경우는 예외로 한다.The contract is automatically extended. However, a case in which notice of termination is given up to one month before the contract expires is treated as an exception.단, ~ = introduces the exception to the preceding rule
- 보증금 반환은 원상 복구가 확인된 경우에 한하여 이루어진다.Return of the deposit takes place only in the case that restoration to the original condition has been confirmed.~에 한하여 = restricts the right to a specific bounded condition
[권리/의무/금지 진술] + [단, / ~에 한하여: 조건 또는 예외] + [해당 여부 명시]
권리/의무/금지 진술 = statement of the right, obligation, or prohibition; 조건/예외 = the condition or exception that bounds it; 해당 여부 = whether it applies to a given case
임차인은 계약 기간 중 시설 수리를 요구할 권리가 있다. 단, 임차인의 고의나 과실로 발생한 고장은 이 조항이 해당하지 않는다.
The tenant has the right to request repair of facilities during the contract period. However, this clause does not apply to a malfunction caused by the tenant's intent or negligence.
Practice — Obligation, Right, and Condition
- Write one sentence stating a tenant's obligation using -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다.
- Write one sentence stating a right using -(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다, then attach a condition using 단, or ~에 한하여.
- Rewrite this casual prohibition in more formal administrative style: "그거 하지 마세요."
Model Text: Housing Contract and Notice
박 교수님 shares a short general lease notice, similar to what 마이클 received, illustrating obligation, permission, prohibition, and condition/exception language alongside the institutional vocabulary from Chapter 8. This is a general-purpose instructional model, not professional legal advice or an actual binding document.
안내문: 임대차 계약 일반 안내 (교육용 예시)
1. 임차인은 매달 정해진 날짜에 임대료를 납부할 의무가 있다. 2. 임차인은 계약 기간 중 시설 고장에 대해 수리를 요구할 권리가 있다. 단, 임차인의 고의나 과실로 발생한 고장은 이 조항이 해당하지 않는다. 3. 임차인은 임대인의 사전 동의 없이 구조를 변경하거나 다른 사람에게 전대해서는 안 된다. 4. 계약은 만료일에 자동으로 연장된다. 단, 계약 만료 한 달 전까지 해지 의사를 서면으로 통보한 경우는 예외로 한다. 5. 보증금 반환은 원상 복구가 확인된 경우에 한하여 이루어지며, 확인에 통상 며칠이 소요될 수 있다.
구조 분석 — Structure analysis questions:
- Identify which numbered item states an obligation, and which pattern marks it.
- Identify which numbered item states a right, and what condition or exception limits it.
- Identify which numbered item states a prohibition, and what formal pattern is used.
- Identify the two places where 단, introduces an exception, and explain in English what each exception changes.
Guided Practice
- Choose a familiar general administrative situation (a lease, a library card, a gym membership, a student ID, or a similar everyday agreement).
- Write one sentence stating an obligation connected to that situation, using -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다 or -아/어야 하다.
- Write one sentence stating a right or permission connected to that situation, using -(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다 or 허용되다.
- Write one sentence stating a prohibition connected to that situation, using -아/어서는 안 되다 or 금지하다.
- Add a condition or exception to one of your sentences, using 단, or ~에 한하여.
- Exchange with a partner and identify each other's obligation, right, prohibition, and condition/exception.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following short passage aloud at a measured, formal pace. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
안내 방송: 도서관 대출 규정 (교육용 예시)
이용자는 대출한 자료를 정해진 기한 내에 반납할 의무가 있습니다. 기한 내에 반납하지 못한 경우, 이용자는 연체료를 부담해야 합니다. 이용자는 대출 기간을 한 차례 연장할 권리가 있습니다. 단, 다른 이용자가 예약한 자료는 연장이 허용되지 않습니다. 자료를 훼손하거나 분실해서는 안 되며, 이 경우 이용자는 자료 구입 비용에 대한 책임을 집니다. 이 규정은 모든 대출 자료에 적용되며, 특별 자료실 소장 자료는 별도 규정이 해당할 수 있습니다.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| What obligation does the passage state, and what happens if it is not met? | ______ |
| What right does a user have, and what exception limits it? | ______ |
| What is prohibited, and what responsibility follows from violating it? | ______ |
| What does the passage say about materials held in special collections? | ______ |
Reading Practice
Read the following short notice, then answer the questions that follow. This is a general-purpose instructional text, not an actual legal document or legal advice.
글: 기숙사 입주 안내문 (교육용 예시)
입주자는 기숙사 규정을 준수할 의무가 있으며, 규정을 위반하는 경우 경고 또는 퇴실 조치를 받을 수 있다. 입주자는 방 내 개인 물품에 대해 스스로 책임을 지며, 공용 공간의 시설 고장에 대해서는 담당 부서에 수리를 요청할 권리가 있다. 입주자는 사전 허가 없이 외부인을 장기간 숙박시켜서는 안 되며, 이는 다른 입주자의 권리를 침해할 수 있기 때문이다. 단, 하루에 한하여 방문객의 단기 방문은 허용된다. 계약 기간 중 퇴실을 원하는 경우, 입주자는 최소 2주 전까지 담당 부서에 서면으로 통보해야 한다. 이 통보 기한을 지키지 않은 경우, 보증금의 일부가 반환되지 않을 수 있다.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What obligation does the notice place on residents regarding dormitory regulations, and what happens if it is violated?
- What right do residents have regarding common-space facilities?
- What is prohibited regarding outside visitors, and what exception is stated?
- What obligation applies if a resident wants to move out during the contract period, and what condition is attached to the deposit if this obligation is not met?
- Identify one sentence that uses 단, to introduce an exception, and explain what it changes.
- Compare this notice to the housing contract model text above. What general pattern do both texts share in how they state and then limit a right or obligation?
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task asks you to write a short general notice or explanation (6–10 sentences) about a familiar administrative situation, including at least one obligation, one right or permission, one prohibition, and one condition or exception.
[의무 진술: -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다/-아/어야 하다]
[권리 진술: -(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다/허용되다]
[금지 진술: -아/어서는 안 되다/금지하다]
[조건 또는 예외: 단,/~에 한하여]
[Statement of obligation]
[Statement of right/permission]
[Statement of prohibition]
[Condition or exception]
- Introduce the situation. Name the parties involved (예: 임차인, 임대인, 신청자, 담당 부서).
- State an obligation. Use -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다 or -아/어야 하다.
- State a right or permission. Use -(으)ㄹ 권리가 있다 or 허용되다.
- State a prohibition. Use -아/어서는 안 되다 or 금지하다.
- Attach a condition or exception. Use 단, or ~에 한하여 to bound one of your statements.
체크리스트 — Checklist:
- At least one obligation is clearly stated.
- At least one right or permission is clearly stated.
- At least one prohibition is clearly stated.
- At least one condition or exception bounds a right, obligation, or prohibition.
- No right, obligation, or prohibition is presented as absolute when a natural condition would normally apply.
- Formal register is maintained throughout, without casual endings.
- Spacing, particles, and Hangeul spelling are accurate, with no romanization.
- No structure beyond Chapters 1–9 has been used productively.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: 문장 바꾸기
Practice converting three casual instructions (provided by your instructor or a partner, e.g., "이거 하지 마세요," "이거 꼭 해야 돼요") into formal obligation, permission, or prohibition statements aloud, using the patterns from this chapter's Grammar section.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 계약 설명하기
With one or two partners, take turns explaining a familiar administrative situation (a lease, a membership, a student ID) to someone unfamiliar with it, stating at least one obligation, one right, one prohibition, and one condition or exception, while the partner asks clarifying questions using the interview language from Chapter 7.
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself explaining a familiar administrative situation for two minutes, including at least one obligation, one right, one prohibition, and one condition or exception. Listen back and identify each one aloud.
Culture and Communication
Everyday life in South Korea, as in many countries, involves regularly reading and signing general administrative documents such as lease notices, membership agreements, and institutional forms. These documents typically state obligations, rights, and restrictions in a formal, deferential register, and careful readers pay close attention to conditions and exceptions rather than assuming a right or obligation is unconditional.
Many general administrative processes in South Korea, such as terminating a lease or requesting a refund, expect written notice within a stated deadline rather than a verbal request alone. This reflects a broader institutional preference for documented communication in formal and administrative contexts, a pattern that appears in many countries' administrative systems, not only in Korea.
The vocabulary and patterns in this chapter support general reading, writing, and speaking about everyday administrative situations. They are not a substitute for professional legal advice, and learners facing an actual legal or contractual situation should consult a qualified professional or official institutional resource rather than relying on this chapter alone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: Writing 임차인은 언제든지 계약을 해지할 권리가 있다 without mentioning any condition, when the source document attaches a notice period.
Correction: State the condition explicitly, as in 임차인은 계약 만료 한 달 전까지 통보한 경우에 한하여 계약을 해지할 권리가 있다.
Error: Writing 이거 하지 마세요 in a formal notice or administrative context.
Correction: Use the more formal prohibition pattern, as in 사전 동의 없이 이를 해서는 안 됩니다.
Error: Summarizing a rule without mentioning the exception that follows 단, in the source text, which changes what the rule actually covers.
Correction: Always check for and state a 단, clause, since it typically narrows or modifies the preceding statement rather than simply adding extra information.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. Match the following items to their meanings: 권리, 의무, 조항, 위반하다, 준수하다.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Write one sentence stating an obligation using -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다.
2. Write one sentence stating a right, then attach a condition or exception using 단, or ~에 한하여.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. Summarize the dormitory notice passage in four or five English sentences, identifying the obligation, the right, the prohibition, and the exception.
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Complete the Writing Workshop paragraph, following the steps and checklist above.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. Perform your explanation task or solo presentation, as described in Speaking Practice above.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles formal register discipline (Chapter 1), institutional and procedural vocabulary (Chapter 2), comparison language (Chapter 3), evidence-based claims (Chapters 4–5), source attribution and report structure (Chapter 6), turn-taking and clarification (Chapter 7), and institutional vocabulary and careful-claim hedging (Chapter 8), while introducing rights/obligations vocabulary, form-reading conventions, and condition/exception marking as new productive systems.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제 — Chapter 9 Performance Task
권리와 의무 읽기 — Reading Rights, Obligations, and Restrictions Carefully
You will read a general administrative notice and answer comprehension questions, listen to a related regulation excerpt, write your own short notice or explanation, and present or discuss your explanation with attention to obligation, permission, prohibition, and condition/exception language.
- Reading: Read the dormitory notice passage and answer the comprehension questions above.
- Listening: Listen to the library lending regulation passage and answer the listening task questions above.
- Writing: Write a complete short notice or explanation following the Writing Workshop model and checklist.
- Speaking: Perform the explanation task or solo presentation, using at least one obligation, one right, one prohibition, and one condition or exception.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Reading and listening comprehension | Obligations, rights, prohibitions, and conditions/exceptions are correctly identified in both passages |
| Rights/obligations vocabulary | General legal and administrative vocabulary is used accurately and appropriately |
| Obligation, permission, and prohibition patterns | At least one of each is used correctly with appropriate register |
| Condition/exception marking | At least one condition or exception is clearly and accurately attached to a right, obligation, or prohibition |
| Register consistency | Formal register is maintained throughout, without casual prohibition or obligation forms |
| Cumulative integration | Institutional vocabulary and careful-claim hedging from Chapter 8 are integrated where relevant |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout, no romanization |
| Scope discipline | No structures used productively beyond Volume IV, Chapters 1–9; no professional legal advice is given or implied |
Answer Key
Model Text — Structure Analysis
- Item 1 states an obligation, marked by -(으)ㄹ 의무가 있다.
- Item 2 states a right, limited by the exception that repair claims do not apply to damage caused by the tenant's own intent or negligence.
- Item 3 states a prohibition, marked by -아/어서는 안 된다.
- The two 단, clauses appear in items 2 and 4: item 2's exception narrows the repair right; item 4's exception allows the tenant to avoid automatic renewal by giving written notice one month before expiration.
Listening comprehension
- Users must return borrowed materials by the deadline; failure to do so means the user must pay a late fee.
- Users have the right to extend the loan period once, but this is not allowed if another user has reserved the material.
- Damaging or losing materials is prohibited; violating this makes the user responsible for the cost of the material.
- Materials in special collections may be subject to separate regulations.
Reading comprehension
- Residents are obligated to comply with dormitory regulations; violating them can result in a warning or removal from the dormitory.
- Residents have the right to request repairs from the responsible department for facility problems in common spaces.
- Long-term lodging of outside visitors without prior permission is prohibited, but short-term visits limited to one day are permitted.
- Residents who wish to move out during the contract period must give written notice to the responsible department at least two weeks in advance; failing to meet this deadline may mean part of the deposit is not returned.
- The sentence beginning 단, 하루에 한하여 방문객의 단기 방문은 허용된다 introduces an exception allowing short-term, one-day visits despite the general prohibition on lodging outside visitors.
- Both texts state a right or rule and then immediately narrow it with a condition or exception, rather than presenting it as absolute.
Chapter Review — Section B
1. Sample response: 입주자는 매달 정해진 기한 내에 관리비를 납부할 의무가 있다.
2. Sample response: 회원은 프로그램을 이용할 권리가 있다. 단, 회비를 완납한 경우에 한하여 그러하다.
Section D — Sample response
Check that: at least one obligation, one right or permission, one prohibition, and one condition or exception are all clearly present, that formal register is maintained throughout, and that no right or obligation is stated as absolute when a natural boundary would normally apply.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can read and discuss general rights, obligations, forms, and restrictions using level-appropriate vocabulary, state what a person is required, permitted, and prohibited from doing, identify and attach the conditions or exceptions that bound a right or obligation, and read a general administrative notice without assuming any rule is unconditional, while maintaining consistent formal register.