{
  "id": 12288181,
  "title": "Honoring pioneers who shaped Korea's alphabet and spread it globally",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/honoring-pioneers-who-shaped-koreas-alphabet-and-spread-it-globally-12288181",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T03:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/people-events/20261006/honoring-pioneers-who-shaped-koreas-alphabet-and-spread-it-globally"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Korea's journey to a globally influential alphabet began long before the rise of digital typography dominating daily life in East Asia. The nation once heavily depended on Japanese typesetting for its printed materials. However, everything changed when Seok Geum-ho founded Sandoll, an industry that would revolutionize the visual language of the written word. Over four decades, Seok's pioneering work resulted in more than 1,000 distinct Korean fonts, leaving an indelible mark on the modern written language.\n\nTo honor Seok's monumental contributions, the Korean government has bestowed upon him the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit, the country's highest cultural award. This prestigious recognition will be presented posthumously during the upcoming 580th Hangul Day national ceremony at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. Hangul Day annually honors individuals and organizations that have made significant strides in advancing, researching, and promoting the spread of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet established in 1443 by King Sejong the Great to foster widespread literacy.\n\nSeok is not the sole recipient of this esteemed honor. Another distinguished figure, Baek Tae-hyeon, vice president of the Korean Institute in Central Asia, will also be recognized with the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit. Baek's efforts have played a crucial role in the international growth and global recognition of the Korean alphabet.",
  "summary": "Long before digital typography defined everyday communication across smartphones and computer screens in East Asia, Korea relied heavily on imported Japanese typesetting. That changed when Seok Geum-ho founded Sandoll, pioneering an industry that produced more than 1,000 distinct Korean fonts over four decades and permanently altered the visual identity of the modern written language. The…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Honoring pioneers who shaped Korea's alphabet and spread it globally",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/honoring-pioneers-who-shaped-koreas-alphabet-and-spread-it-globally",
        "published": "2026-10-06T02:52:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}