The Creation of the Korean Alphabet (Hangul)

The Creation of the Korean Alphabet (Hangul)

Unlike most languages that evolve naturally over centuries, the Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, was a deliberate creation. It was invented and proclaimed by King Sejong the Great in the 15th century (specifically in 1446).

The king, concerned with the high illiteracy rate among the common people who could not learn the complex Chinese characters (Hanja) used by the elite, decided to create a simple and scientific writing system that anyone could easily learn.

The new alphabet, originally called Hunminjeongeum (“The correct sounds for the instruction of the people”), was designed with amazing logic, basing its shapes on the human vocal organs when pronouncing the sounds. Thanks to its simplicity and phonetic design, Korea’s literacy rate soared, and Hangul is now considered by linguists worldwide as one of the most efficient and logical writing systems ever created.

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