The status of interpreters and translators depends on the society to which they belong. A brief overview of the history of the status reveals that, in the past, they enjoyed middle class status and, at times, even great wealth. The social importance of translators, on the other hand, was negligible. There is still a great interest among the general public in interpretation, especially since speaking English fluently is considered an asset in any profession in Korea. Conference interpreters, as such, are considered to be "master" English speakers.