Understanding headlines
Vocabulary
- 기사article / news piece
- 제목headline / title
- 속보breaking news
- 기자journalist / reporter
- 취재하다to cover / report on
- 보도하다to report (news)
- 출처source
- 언론media / press
- 여론public opinion
- 사설editorial
- 논평commentary
- 구독하다to subscribe
# Understanding Korean news headlines
Korean headlines often use the formal -ㅂ/습니다 register and passive voice with -이/히/리/기:
- 새 법안이 통과됐습니다. → *A new bill was passed.*
- 대통령이 발표했습니다. → *The president announced.*
Headlines frequently drop particles (은/는, 이/가, 을/를) for brevity:
- 물가 상승, 시민들 불만 (= 물가가 상승했고, 시민들이 불만을 느낀다)
Nominalisation with -기/-음 turns verbs into noun headlines:
- 경제 회복, 전문가들 전망 → *Economic recovery: experts' forecast*
Key headline verbs: 밝히다 (to reveal), 주장하다 (to claim), 발표하다 (to announce), 확인하다 (to confirm), 부인하다 (to deny).
Practice reading 한국 뉴스 (Korean news) from sites like 한겨레 or KBS 뉴스 to see these patterns in action.
Expressions
- ...에 따르면According to... (source attribution)
- ...이/가 발표됐습니다...was announced (passive, formal)
- ...을/를 확인할 수 없습니다...cannot be confirmed
- 속보입니다This is breaking news
- 전문가들은 ...라고 말합니다Experts say that...
- ...에 대한 논란이 있습니다There is controversy about...
Common mistakes
뉴스에 따라서 대통령은 말했어요뉴스에 따르면 대통령이 말했습니다에 따르면 (according to) is the correct form for source attribution, not 에 따라서 (in accordance with).
법안이 통과시켰어요법안이 통과됐어요통과시키다 is transitive (someone passes something). Use the passive 통과되다 when the bill itself is the subject.
기자는 말했어요 사실이라고기자는 사실이라고 말했어요In Korean the quoted clause comes before the reporting verb, not after. Verb-final order is fixed.
뉴스를 구독하고 싶어요 유튜브에서유튜브에서 뉴스를 구독하고 싶어요Location/source phrases typically come before the object and verb in Korean, not at the end.
기사는 읽기 어렵습니다 이해하다기사는 이해하기 어렵습니다이해하다 should be nominalised with -기 before 어렵다. Don't add a bare infinitive after the adjective.
Quick quiz
Question 1 of 5
How do you say “to cover / report on” in Korean?
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