Waching daily Jan 29 2017

South and North Koreans use the same language

but decades of division and cultural changes have

have made it increasingly difficult for them to understand

each other's dialects.It's a hurdle many North Korean

defectors in South Korea have to overcome.

But this smartphone application we're about to show you

might be able to them. Our Ji Myung-kil tells us more.

These young North Korean defectors are taking on

on a new language. They're learning to speak like a South Korean.

Surprisingly, these students, and many like them,

say one of the biggest problems they face is the language barrier.

"It was like people were talking to me in a foreign

language so I was too embarrassed to ask my

friends what the words meant. I felt alienated."

According to a 2012 study by the National Institute

of the Korean Language, North Korean defectors

understand only half of the language used in South Korea.

To help them overcome these communication issues,

Cheil Worldwide teamed up with local non-profits

to develop a smartphone app called Univoca.

it's a South Korean-North Korean translator and dictionary.

"We realized late in the game that young North Korean

defectors would have problems reading school

textbooks and solving questions due to differences in culture and dialect."

"This app will give North Korean students the

courage and motivation to learn as it also offers

some privacy while they study."

Teachers hope the app will help bridge communication

between South and North Korean students, and

make resettlement a little easier for defectors in the South.

Ji Myung-kil, Arirang News.