Study on the Acquisition of Korean Plosives by Indonesian Learners Based on Length of Study

This study analyzes the acquisition of Korean plosives by Indonesian learners. To conduct this analysis, 100 participants were included: 20 native Korean speakers and 80 Indonesian learners, with 20 learners from each of the first, second, third, and fourth years. A discrimination task was used to measure both the accuracy and speed of the learners in recognizing Korean plosives. This study shows that native Korean speakers consistently achieved high accuracy and stable response times in perceiving stop consonants. In contrast, Indonesian learners exhibited longer response times and greater variability as their study period increased. Notably, these learners faced difficulties in distinguishing certain phonemes(k, t, p, kh, th, ph), indicating that individual characteristics and the learning environment are crucial factors along with the length of study. Therefore, the research highlights the necessity of effective teaching strategies and ongoing training, which are as critical as the duration of study in Korean language education. This is particularly true for tailored approaches for intermediate learners. Furthermore, the study calls for more comprehensive research that includes a broader range of stimuli and diverse learner groups.