Human Performance Technology(HPT) is called “Suhaengkonghak” in Korea. This article aims to call
into question whether the term “Suhaengkongkak (遂行工學)” is the right translation of HPT in
Korean and to suggest to use the term “Sungkwakonghak (成果工學)” as an alternative. Five points
were indicated as unnecessary misunderstandings caused by Korean HPT experts' using the term
“Suhaengkongkak”; first, Suhaengkongkak's focusing on employees' behavior change rather than
organizational results change, second, lack of considerations on context variables, third, possibility to
ignore the performance in organizational level, fourth, insufficient considerations on systemic approach
such as organizational alignment and analysis in accordance with levels of performance, and lastly
indifference with education and training interventions. This paper discussed the positive sides when we
use the term “Sungkwakonghak” instead; first, the term “Sungkwakonghak” reflecting the HPT
principles thoroughly, second, sufficient considerations on organizational performance, third, the term's
helping the expansion and qualitative growth in the field of HPT, and fourth, adequate to provide a
variety of multi-disciplinary solutions. This argument inevitably leads to lots of discussions among Korean
HPT experts including the issues such as the dilemma between searching for the identity and expanding
the boundary in the field of HPT, the different perspectives on human variables in performance
problems, and highlighting the HPT's differentiation values from other similar disciplines. As a
conclusion, this article suggests the need of Korean HPT experts' full attention and discussion on the
right translation of the term “human performance technology” in Korean for the expansion and
development of the HPT field in Korea.