Market demand for conference interpreting in South Korea: Sifting through the signals

Abstract

This study explores the market demand for conference interpreting in South Korea by exploring the signals that users perceive as important for professional conference interpreting services. The findings were derived from a questionnaire-based survey of 109 participants with experience of conference interpreting services. The results indicate that interpreting quality, interpreting experience, and certification of the interpreter are important signals, suggesting that users are aware of the importance of quality. Furthermore, interpreting is primarily used as a communicative act. On the other hand, the low ratings for academic degrees in interpreting reveals the presence of information asymmetry, which negatively affects the elements that users perceive as important for the professionalization of interpreting. The study also addresses the service aspect of conference interpreting, shedding light on the ‘interpreting as a service’ approach based on an end-to-end service concept in both practice and training. The findings suggest a future direction both in terms of market development and interpreter training, thereby contributing to the advancement of interpreting as a profession.