Lee hails Korean writing system as 'face' of country on 100th Hangeul Day

President Lee Jae Myung celebrated the 100th anniversary of Hangeul Day on Friday, emphasizing the importance of the Korean writing system as the face of his country. In a Facebook post, using South Korea's official name, he wrote that writing is the face of the country and language is its heart. Lee believed that the strength of their language and writing is directly linked to the Republic of Korea's competitiveness.

Hangeul, the Korean writing system, was created by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty in 1443 and officially introduced three years later. Its purpose was to supplement the previous writing system, which was based on the Chinese script. Hangeul Day was first recognized by the Korean Language Society in 1926, as Koreans endeavored to safeguard their language and writing system during the Japanese colonial rule that lasted from 1910 to 1945.

A century ago, Lee noted, his forebears devoted their entire efforts to preserving their language and writing system, a determination that remained steadfast even though they had lost their nation, but not their spirit and identity. Currently, the Korean writing system is being learned by individuals worldwide, thanks to the King Sejong Institute, which offers instruction in the Korean language.