Annyeong Haseyo

"An-nyeong Ha-se-yo" is the expression used when people respectfully greet each other in Korean. When I made a duty visit to Korea in 2014, a Chinese-Korean interpreter explained to me that: "'An-nyeong', originally written in Chinese, means 'to be peaceful', and 'Haseyo' is a polite way of saying 'do you?'" Before the Koreans began their recent peace talk, they must have greeted each other with "Annyeong Haseyo".

Perhaps, peace is more important than being good or not hungry. In Mandarin, people say: "Ni Hao", literally means "You're Good". I find that the expression has gradually been adapted by Hongkongers by speaking "Lei Ho" in Cantonese. Even so, it is still common for the elderly Hongkongers to greet by saying "Yum Cha Mei?" ("Had Tea Already?") or, "Sik Fan Mei? " ("Had Rice Yet?").

It is really not easy for non-natives to appreciate the subtleties of issues in a foreign context, just take "An-nyeong Ha-se-yo" as an example. To pronounce the Korean expression as Romanized would not sound Korean at all, as the Korean words in the expression are monosyllabic. The right way is just to sing the rhythmic expression like centuries-old monosyllabic Cantonese words.

In solving the Korean security problem, I think it is only right to let the countrymen from South and North sort out their commonalities and differences. The natives should know how to tame each others' disruptive behaviours to co-exist, as they speak the same language and appreciate the nuances as they negotiate. Culturally, Koreans might be more peace-loving than any other peace-loving nations!

#AnnyeongHaseyo