Adulteration of Original Meaning

President George W. Bush of the United States is reported to have said to the South Korean counterpart at Santiago, Mr. Roh Moo Hyun, in effect, that Kim Jong Il of North Korea and all that he represents is "a vital issue." The vernacular media, audio and visual, of Korea (Republic of), altogether, have translated the cited phrase into sort of mediocre context: 중요한 문제 (an important matter)


Why adulterate the context? Has the misinterpretation been intentional or thoroughly caused by media ignorance? In the era of Internet age, where the knowledge of language is not only a tool of communication but also a critical weapon, the ignorance at issue has been a disgrace for the nation, which has been in conflict with a totalitarian Fascistic regime in the North.



Important? To have three meals a day is "important recipe". For a democratic citizen to go to a polling station to cast a vote for his (or her) favorite politician, representing him or her, is an "important behavior". But it is not enough for us to say that it's "an important issue" to know how to deal with an enemy state, armed with nuclear weapons and obsessed with the ill-notion to destroy us.


It's not still a matter of grave concern. It's a critical matter at which the fate of our nation is at stake. "To be or not to be" that is the question in this case. It's a mater of "life and death". Matter of fact is that knowledge of semantics is involved here. Therefore, the "semantic implications" of a "vital issue" Mr. Bush delivered to Mr. Roh from a small country should have rung in the latter's ear in the thunderous roar and he should have shuddered with chills running on his spine.