South Korea’s president said the writing system has become a defining part of the country’s identity and culture.
In a Facebook post, Lee Jae Myung described writing as the country’s “face” and language as its “heart.” He said the strength of Korean language and writing contributes to the Republic of Korea’s competitiveness.
Hangeul was created by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty in 1443 and promulgated three years later. Hangeul Day was first established in 1926 by the Korean Language Society, during Japanese colonial rule, as Koreans sought to protect their language and writing system.
Lee recalled that a century ago people worked to preserve their language and script despite losing their country. He also pointed to global interest in Korean: the King Sejong Institute, which began teaching the language overseas in 2007, has since expanded to 89 countries.
The president said the past century was devoted to protecting Hangeul and embedding it in daily life. He described the next century as a period for widening the script’s possibilities.