에 따라(서): Depending On or In Accordance With

When explaining how the world works, circumstances are rarely static. Outcomes frequently shift depending on the season, individual preferences, market demand, or unexpected developments. To articulate this dynamic contingency and proportional correlation, Korean relies on the construction Noun + 에 따라(서) (and its adnominal modifier 에 따른):

$$ \text{Variable Criterion / Benchmark} + \textbf{에 따라(서)}, \quad \text{[Varying Outcome / Proportionate Change]}$$

“Depending on / In accordance with / Contingent upon [Criterion], [Outcome] varies or follows.”

1. Core Usage 1: Conditional Variability (“Depending On…”)

The primary conversational and analytical usage of 에 따라(서) is establishing that an outcome in Clause 2 is not fixed, but fluctuates in direct correlation with the variable named in Clause 1:

사람의 체질과 건강 상태에 따라 약의 복용량이 달라질 수 있습니다.
Depending on a person's constitution and health status, the dosage of medication may vary.

날씨와 계절에 따라서 우리가 입는 옷의 두께와 색상이 변합니다.
Depending on the weather and season, the thickness and color of the clothes we wear change.

어느 항공사를 이용하느냐에 따라 수하물 규정이 크게 다릅니다.
Depending on which airline you use, baggage regulations differ significantly.

High-Frequency Verb Pairings:

Because this construction expresses contingency, it naturally pairs with predicates denoting diversity and transformation:

• ~에 따라 다르다: Differs depending on…
• ~에 따라 달라지다: Varies / changes according to…
• ~에 따라 결정되다: Is decided depending on…
• ~에 따라 차이가 나다: Shows a difference according to…

2. Core Usage 2: Formal & Legal Accordance (“Pursuant To…”)

In official public administration, contracts, news reporting, and organizational management, 에 따라 expresses strict compliance with laws, principles, or procedures:

관련 법령과 회사 내규에 따라 본 사안을 공정하게 처리하겠습니다.
Pursuant to relevant statutes and internal company regulations, we will process this matter fairly.

국제 무역 규범에 따라 모든 수출입 통관 절차가 엄격히 진행됩니다.
In accordance with international trade standards, all import/export customs clearance procedures are strictly conducted.

선착순 접수 원칙에 따라서 조기에 마감될 수 있음을 알려드립니다.
Please be advised that registration may close early pursuant to the first-come, first-served principle.

3. The Adnominal Modifier Form: ‘Noun + 에 따른 + Noun’

When you need to turn the relationship into a qualifying phrase modifying a subsequent noun, conjugate the verb 따르다 into its adnominal form -에 따른:

$$ \text{Cause / Criterion} + \textbf{에 따른} + \textbf{Resulting Noun}$$

[Adverbial form modifying verbs: 발생하다, 대처하다]
✅ 기후 변화에 따라 자연재해가 자주 발생합니다.
   (Natural disasters occur frequently depending on/consequent to climate change).

[Adnominal form modifying nouns: 피해, 대책, 변화]
✅ 기후 변화에 따른 경제적 피해가 심각합니다.
   (Economic damage resulting from climate change is severe).
❌ 기후 변화에 따라 경제적 피해가 심각합니다. (Syntactically incomplete/awkward modifier).

Common Formulaic Compounds:

• 법 개정에 따른 조치: Measures following the legal revision.
• 물가 상승에 따른 부담: Burdens resulting from rising consumer prices.
• 나이에 따른 신체적 변화: Physical changes according to age.

4. ‘에 따라’ vs. ‘대로’ vs. ‘을/를 따라’

Understanding the boundaries of 따르다 and its neighboring grammar points:

Minimal Pair Comparison:

• “지침대로 하세요.” $ \rightarrow$ Follow the guideline word-for-word without altering a single step (static obedience).
• “지침에 따라 상황별로 유연하게 대처하세요.” $ \rightarrow$ Act in accordance with the guideline, adjusting flexibly depending on the changing situation (principled adaptation).
• “강을 따라 자전거를 탔어요.” $ \rightarrow$ Rode a bicycle physically following the path of the river.

5. Summary Diagnostic Checklist

When employing 에 따라(서) / 에 따른:

1. Are you stating that an outcome changes based on different criteria? Pair Noun + 에 따라 with 다르다 / 달라지다 / 변하다.
2. Are you citing official laws, guidelines, or procedures? Use 법령/규정에 따라 to convey authoritative institutional compliance.
3. Are you modifying a following noun? Always use the adnominal form Noun + 에 따른 + Noun (e.g., 결정에 따른 책임).
4. Is it physical movement along a road or river? Switch to the accusative particle 을/를 따라 (e.g., 길을 따라가다).