SmileStory Inc. (CEO: Yeon Sam-Heum), following its December 9th release of the world’s first ‘7,000-Language Braille System (WIA Braille)’, has now announced WIA Talk — a system unifying 353 sign languages worldwide — along with ‘ISP (International Sign Phonology)’, the IPA equivalent for sign languages. Both will be released patent-free and completely free to the global community.
Currently, 353 distinct sign languages exist worldwide, but cross-border communication remains nearly impossible due to incompatible systems. The more alarming reality: 70% of deaf children grow up without acquiring proper language skills.
The Shocking Reality: “7 Out of 10 Deaf Children Have No Language”
Most people assume “deaf people use sign language.” Wrong.
90-95% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. The problem is that most hearing parents don’t know sign language.
When 100 deaf children are born:
├── 5-10: Deaf parents → Natural sign language acquisition ✓
└── 90-95: Hearing parents
├── ~30: Somehow acquire language
└── ~70: Language deprivation ← CRISIS
Yeon Sam-Heum, CEO: “When we meet someone who ‘knows sign language,’ we take it for granted. But that person is already among the lucky 30%. The remaining 70% live their entire lives without even the basic tool for thinking.“
The “Golden Window” of Human Language Acquisition
Age 0-5: Perfect acquisition possible (Golden Window)
Age 6-12: Possible but incomplete
Age 13+: Basic communication only, abstract thinking impaired
Language is not just a “communication tool.” Language is the “tool for thinking.”
A child who doesn’t acquire language by age 5 will struggle with complete language abilities for life. This isn’t unique to deaf individuals — it’s a fundamental principle of cognitive development.
Medical Technology Advances — And the Remaining Challenge
Cochlear implants represent a remarkable achievement in auditory medicine. Many deaf children can now experience the world of sound thanks to this technology.
Cochlear Implant Achievements:
Early surgery significantly aids spoken language development
Effects maximized when combined with auditory rehabilitation
Many children can attend mainstream schools
However, recent research in linguistics and audiology increasingly emphasizes the importance of “Bimodal-Bilingual” approaches.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and related research:
Cochlear implants provide “hearing assistance,” not “perfect hearing”
Learning both spoken and sign language creates synergistic effects
The key during ages 0-5 is language exposure in any form
The problem is that many families, due to lack of information, are forced into a false “spoken OR sign” dichotomy. In reality, “spoken AND sign” may be far more effective.
Real-world challenges:
├── Hearing parents: Don’t know where to learn sign language
├── Schools for the Deaf: Only 13 in South Korea (low accessibility)
├── Sign language education: Lack of systematic programs
└── Result: Lost language exposure during the 0-5 golden window
Yeon Sam-Heum, CEO: “Medical technology continues to advance. But there are aspects technology alone cannot solve. If parents don’t know sign language, no device can enable real ‘conversation’ with their child. WIA Talk aims to bridge that gap.”
Developing World Reality: “Endless Darkness”
–>
Deaf people worldwide: 70 million 80% of them: Living in developing countries (~56 million)
Country
Situation
Result
South Korea
13 deaf schools, free tuition, insurance coverage
Still accessibility issues
Ethiopia (Pop. 120M)
3 deaf schools, ~1 million deaf people
99% have no educational access
DR Congo (GDP/capita $580)
Almost no deaf schools; Cochlear implant $30,000 = 50 years’ salary
Hundreds of thousands survive without language
Over 50 million deaf people are likely living “without language.”
From WIA Braille to WIA Talk: Same Philosophy, Different Senses
WIA Braille, released on December 9th, unified braille for 7,000 languages based on IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet).
WIA Talk applies the same philosophy to sign language.
WIA Braille: Text → IPA → Braille
(214 languages → 1 unified braille system)
WIA Talk: Gesture → ISP → Sign
(353 sign languages → 1 unified sign system)
ISP (International Sign Phonology): The IPA of Sign Languages
1888 — IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) was born. All human “sounds” could now be transcribed in one unified system.
December 13, 2025 — In South Korea, ISP (International Sign Phonology) was established. All human “gestures” can now be transcribed in one unified system.
Historical Symmetry
IPA (1888)
→
Standard for Sound
ISP (2025)
→
Standard for Gesture
The 5 Components of ISP
–>
Code
Component
Description
HS
Handshape
Shape of the hand (fist, open palm, index finger, etc.)
LC
Location
Position relative to body (face, chest, neutral space, etc.)
MV
Movement
Motion path (up-down, circular, linear, etc.)
OR
Orientation
Palm direction (up/down, toward/away from body, etc.)
NM
Non-manual
Non-hand signals (facial expression, mouth shape, head movement, etc.)
Example:
HS01-LC07-MV10-OR02-NM15 = A specific sign word
Same code = Same meaning = Communication possible anywhere in the world
A Barrier No One Crossed for 137 Years — Broken Again
IPA was created in 1888, yet for 137 years, no one applied it to braille. WIA Braille discovered that missing link.
Similar attempts existed in sign language:
System
Year
Limitation
Stokoe Notation
1960
ASL-only, not universal
HamNoSys
1989
Too complex, academic use only
SignWriting
1974
Visual notation, standardization failed
Why WIA Talk is Different:
MediaPipe/AI-based real-time hand tracking (2025 technology)
Practical motivation (global communication)
Bottom-up approach (353 sign language data collected)
“Connection” not “replacement” strategy
“We Won’t Tell Anyone to Switch”
Yeon Sam-Heum, CEO:
“I will never tell anyone to ‘switch to WIA Talk.’ I know why Esperanto failed. Force doesn’t work.“
“But if you learn one more… learn it like you would learn a foreign sign language… you gain a channel to communicate with deaf people worldwide. A global communication channel.”
“If it’s convenient and good, people will naturally use it. Just like English did. Generations will pass, and they will naturally become one. Not because I told them to switch.“
The 100-Year Scenario
–>
Year
Status
2025
7,000 spoken languages → each with different braille 353 sign languages → each with different systems
2125
7,000 spoken languages → 1 IPA-based braille (WIA Braille) 353 sign languages → 1 ISP-based sign (WIA Talk)
The “language unification” that the non-disabled failed to achieve for millennia, may be achieved by the disabled in just 100 years
Free Learning Materials
SmileStory is releasing complete learning materials for both WIA Braille and WIA Talk for free.
Yeon Sam-Heum, CEO: “Even without deaf schools, even without expensive surgeries, if you have a smartphone, you can learn. This is true ‘Hongik Ingan’ — benefiting all humanity.”
King Sejong’s Spirit, Now Global (Once Again)
Era
Revolution
King Sejong (1443)
“Learn in the morning, read by afternoon” → A gift to the Korean people
WIA Braille (2025.12.9)
“Learn once, read braille in 7,000 languages” → A gift to the blind
ISP Established (2025.12.13)
“IPA for sign languages, world standard phonology” → A gift to linguistics
WIA Talk (2025.12.15)
“Learn once, communicate with 353 sign languages” → A gift to the deaf
Hongik Ingan — Open Technology Declaration
弘益人間 (Hongik Ingan)
“Benefit All Humanity”
A 4,000-year-old Korean philosophy
SmileStory is releasing WIA Talk and ISP under the MIT license, with no patents.
Yeon Sam-Heum, CEO: “Sign language is a tool for human rights. Human rights cannot be owned. This is South Korea’s second gift to the world.“
SmileStory Inc., established in 2009, is a comprehensive IT company currently operating in 11 business areas including travel, insurance, publishing, education, media, web/software development, medical devices, medical tourism, and business consulting.
World Certification Industry Association (WIA) was founded by CEO Yeon Sam-Heum in 2018, with a mission to provide equal opportunities to all humanity through technology and certification.
Contact
Representative
Dr. Yeon Sam-Heum
Position
CEO, SmileStory Inc. / President, WIA (World Certification Industry Association)
Email
contact@thekoreantoday.global
Phone
+82-1599-1045
Address
SmileStory Inc. 5F D01-511, Innermass Magok 1st 21, Magok Jungang 6-ro, Gangseo-gu Seoul 07793, Republic of Korea
弘益人間 — Hongik Ingan — Benefit All Humanity
From South Korea to the World, with Love and Hope
December 15, 2025
📚 References & Sources
The statistic “70% of deaf people live without language” cited in this article is based on the following authoritative sources:
🏛️ Official Organizations & Academic Resources
1. National Association of the Deaf (NAD) – USA
“Research shows 70% of Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing children don’t have access to language.”
Children with cochlear implants still struggling with language
~30%
Ballard Brief
School-aged deaf families using sign language at home
Max 40%
Gallaudet University (2010)
💡 Important: Language Deprivation has been officially designated as a “serious and urgent health crisis” by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NAD.
🔬 Related Medical Terminology
Language Deprivation Syndrome
A neurodevelopmental syndrome resulting from insufficient exposure to language during the critical period (ages 0-5). Causes language dysfluency, impaired abstract thinking, mental health issues, and academic delays.
All statistics and citations are based on official publications from 2023-2025.
