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| Korean Wikipedia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Korean Wikipedia |
| Type | Internet encyclopedia |
| Language | Korean |
| Owner | Wikimedia Foundation |
| Launched | 2002-10-11 |
Korean Wikipedia is the Korean-language edition of the free, collaboratively edited online encyclopedia hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. It serves speakers of Korean language across South Korea, North Korea, China, Japan, United States, and the Russian Far East, offering articles on topics from Joseon dynasty history to contemporary K-pop culture. The project interfaces with global platforms such as Wikipedia, Wikidata, Commons (media repository), Meta-Wiki and participates in international events like WikiConference and Wikimania.
The project began in 2002 amid the early expansion of language editions alongside English Wikipedia, German Wikipedia and Japanese Wikipedia, attracting contributors connected to institutions like Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University and communities around Hangeul Day. Early growth included article imports related to Goryeo, Joseon dynasty, Korean War, King Sejong, and localities such as Seoul and Busan. Controversies mirrored those in other editions, involving disputes over entries on Kim Il-sung, Park Chung-hee, Syngman Rhee and editorial policy shaped by precedents from New York Times coverage and offline Korean encyclopedias like Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
Coverage spans biographies of figures such as Yi Sun-sin, King Sejong, Kim Dae-jung, Park Geun-hye and Ban Ki-moon, and cultural topics like Hangul, Hangeul, K-pop idols including BTS, BLACKPINK, and composers like Isang Yun. Scientific and technical articles reference personalities and institutions such as Na Hye-sok, Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, KAIST, POSTECH, and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Geographic and historical entries cover Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, Gwangju Uprising, and disputes involving Dokdo/Liancourt Rocks and Korean Peninsula geopolitics. The encyclopedia includes pages on works like The Tale of Hong Gildong, The Story of Chunhyang, Hwarang and media such as Parasite (film), Oldboy (film), and authors like Shin Kyung-sook.
The project is maintained by volunteer editors affiliated with groups such as local Wikimedia user groups in Seoul, Busan, and university chapters at Korea University, Yonsei University, and Sogang University. Governance follows policies adapted from Wikipedia:Neutral point of view norms into Korean practice, with dispute resolution influenced by examples from Arbitration Committee cases, and interactions with institutions like the Wikimedia Foundation and national media such as Yonhap News Agency. Community initiatives include edit-a-thons co-organized with museums like the National Museum of Korea, archives like the National Archives of Korea, and collaborations with cultural foundations such as the Korea Foundation.
The interface uses MediaWiki software and integrates with Wikidata for interlanguage links, Wiktionary for lexical entries, and Wikimedia Commons for images; it supports templates, infoboxes for subjects like Gyeongbokgung, Incheon International Airport, and Samsung Electronics. Mobile access mirrors developments from projects such as Minerva Neue and adaptations for Korean script rendering in browsers developed by Naver, Daum, and international vendors like Google and Mozilla. Bots and tools include Pywikibot, Linter, and gadget extensions that reference datasets from National Institute of Korean Language and bibliographic sources like Korean Studies Information Service System.
Articles must navigate orthographic standards such as those promulgated by the National Institute of Korean Language and historical variants used in North Korea and South Korea, including Revised Romanization of Korean and legacy McCune–Reischauer forms. Contributors address differences in terminology for topics like Korean language names of United States, China, Japan, and place names such as Seoul versus Sŏul transcriptions, and policy debates arise over naming conventions for figures like Kim Il-sung and events like the Korean War.
Major initiatives include themed drives on topics such as Korean independence movement, digitalization partnerships with the National Library of Korea and Korean Film Archive, and GLAM collaborations involving institutions like the National Museum of Korea and the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. Other collaborations include academic partnerships with Sungkyunkwan University and civic projects with NGOs such as Open Knowledge Foundation Korea and media partners like The Hankyoreh.
The encyclopedia is cited by Korean media outlets including Yonhap News Agency, Chosun Ilbo, Hankyoreh, and used as a public reference by institutions like Korean Constitutional Court deliberations and educational projects at Seoul National University High School. Its articles have influenced public understanding of events like the Gwangju Uprising, personalities such as Kim Dae-jung, and cultural exports including K-pop acts and films like Parasite (film), while facing scrutiny over neutrality in coverage of North Korea and political figures.
Category:Korean-language encyclopedias