마루타

From Japanese 丸太 (maruta, “wooden log”), which was used by Unit 731 during World War II to euphemistically refer to the test subjects of their lethal human experiments.

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ma̠ɾutʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [마루타]

마루타 • (maruta)

1. (slang) human test subject, guinea pig

   마루타 알바

   maruta alba

   part-time job as a medical test subject

   야, 새 치료제 제일 먼저 받으면 딴 사람들 마루타가 되는 거야.

   ya, sae chiryoje jeil meonjeo badeumyeon ttan saram-deul maruta-ga doeneun geo-ya.

   Look, if you get the new treatment first, you'll end up as guinea pigs for the rest.

   • 1993, “북한 이것이 궁금하다 김일성의 건강 비법 [bukhan igeosi gunggeumhada gimilseong'ui geon'gang bibeop]”, in JoongAng Ilbo‎:

     80세 이상 남녀 20명씩을 「장수 마루타」로 뽑아 약재 등을 먹게 한 뒤 효능이 입증되면 김에게 투약하고 있다.

     Palsip se isang namnyeo seumu myeong-ssig-eul ‘jangsu maruta’-ro ppoba yakjae deung-eul meokge han dwi hyoneung-i ipjeungdoemyeon Gim-ege tuyakhago itda.

     Twenty men and women each of over eighty years of age who are selected as "longevity guinea pigs" are made to eat medicines, etc., and if [the medicine's] efficacy is demonstrated, it is given to Kim [Il-sung, then leader of North Korea].