Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was created in 1443 by the venerable Sejong the Great, the 4th king of the Joseon Dynasty. The introduction of Hangeul, which literally means the ‘Korean letter’ or the ‘Great Letter’, was a watershed moment in Korean history as it gave Koreans their own alphabet. Prior to its inception, Koreans used Korean in spoken language but Chinese characters for writing.

Among the 3,000 spoken languages and 100 different alphabets, Hangeul is recognized by linguists as one of the rare writing systems to have been invented systematically by an identifiable group of experts, independent of any other existing languages and under the order and active sponsorship of the state. That its introduction was accompanied by a formal declaration by creators explaining their cause, lifting the populace out of the illiteracy that plagued them, perhaps best showcases Hangeul’s unique history as well as its lasting legacy.

The Chinese characters, used previously as a mode of writing, were structurally different from the spoken Korean language making it especially difficult for the common people to master the language. Reading and writing were rendered a privilege of the nobility. Noticing this disparity, Sejong the Great commissioned a group of scholars to invent Korea’s own characters. The word Hunmin Jeongeum, the original name of Hangeul means ‘Proper Sounds to Instruct the People.’

The major innovation achieved by the inventors of Hangeul was in creating a system of phonemic alphabet, formed by combining consonants and vowels from a pool of 24 characters, to act as a syllabic block. Each syllabic block has only one sound, eliminating confusion over how to read and pronounce the block. Easily readable and writable, Hangeul was hailed by George Sampson, the author of ‘Writing Systems’ as “the most scientific characters in the world.”

The invention of Hangeul greatly affected Korea’s art, culture and society. It brought participation from women of noble descent to literature. Moreover, in the area of trade and agriculture, productivity increased greatly as its participants shared information, ideas and technology via written texts.

These elements were highlighted when UNESCO announced the decision to include Hangeul on its list of Memory of the World in October 1997. In Korea, Sejong the Great and his invention continues to be a source of pride. His portrait is inscribed on the 10,000 won note and Hangeul Day was proclaimed to commemorate the creation of Hangeul. Lately, his statue was constructed in the newly constructed Gwanghwamun Plaza along with an underground exhibition hall.