King Sejong the Great
and the Invention of Hangul
Background
In 1392, Yi Seong-gye overthrew the Goryeo dynasty and founded the Joseon dynasty. During this time, many people struggled to learn how to read and write. This is because they had to learn complex classical Chinese characters and use these characters to write Korean.
King Sejong's Vision
King Sejong came to the throne in 1418. He realized that the Korean people needed their own written language.
Creation of Hangul
King Sejong assembled scholars to create a new script. In 1443, these scholars made Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음), which means "The Correct Sounds for the Instruction
of the People."
Design of Hangul
The new script, later known as Hangul, was designed to be simple, efficient, and easy to learn. The original script was made up of 28 characters. These characters represented Korean sounds.
Introduction & Impact
In 1446, the Hunminjeongeum Haerye was published. It instructed people how to use Hangul. At first, scholarly elites did not like Hangul. They wanted to continue writing with classical Chinese characters. However, Hangul was so easy to learn that people across Korea began using it.
Legacy
Because of Hangul, many Koreans learned how to read and write. Hangul made it possible for more people to receive an education, and it helped preserve the Korean language and culture. Today, Hangul Day is celebrated on October 9. It honors King Sejong and his important role in creating Hangul.