Lee Proposes Public Debate on Adding Hangeul to Gwanghwamun Gate Sign, Saying "Dual Signage May Be Acceptable"

"You cannot see Hangeul at the most important place in Korea"
A sharp divide between calls for tradition and concerns about altering the original
"This is not for me to decide alone... We must consider together with the people"

On October 6, President Lee Jae-myung publicly proposed a plan to display Hangul alongside Chinese characters on the Gwanghwamun signboard, following a national public consultation process.

President Lee Jae-myung listens to participants' remarks at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on October 6, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

During a Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on this day, President Lee raised this issue while discussing the value of Hangul and the correct use of the Korean language. He stated, "There is nowhere to see Hangul at Gwanghwamun, which is the most important site in the Republic of Korea."

Currently, a Chinese-character signboard is installed on the third-story pavilion of Gwanghwamun. In January, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism HweeYoung Choi reported to the Cabinet a plan to add a Hangul signboard to the second-story pavilion, keeping the original Chinese-character signboard intact. The government has since been gathering opinions. In July, a deliberative forum involving 200 citizens and experts was held, but opinions remained sharply divided. Some argued that the symbolic value of Hangul should be emphasized, while others insisted on preserving the authenticity of the cultural heritage. As a result, no conclusion was reached.

President Lee personally leaned towards ‘co-displaying’ both scripts. He remarked, “If there were a vote, I think displaying both would be acceptable,” adding, “It may seem like a minor issue, but in a sense, it is a matter of principle.” He emphasized that the matter should be decided through sufficient discussion. Addressing the people watching the live broadcast of the Cabinet meeting, he asked for their opinions on the idea of writing Hangul together on Gwanghwamun, saying that he would appreciate their input.

In response, Minister HweeYoung Choi announced a plan to broaden the scope of public deliberation on the occasion of Hangul Day. She stated, “We will expand the public consultation so that more people can participate in this discussion,” and added, “We aim to make an attempt within next year.”

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism HweeYoung Choi is speaking at the cabinet meeting presided over by President JaeMyung Lee at the Blue House on October 6, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, the issue of the Gwanghwamun signboard has been under discussion within the government as a major cultural policy matter since the beginning of this year. In January, Minister Choi officially proposed for the first time the idea of co-displaying a Hangul signboard during the Cabinet meeting, marking the 580th anniversary of the promulgation of Hunminjeongeum and the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Gagyanal, the origin of Hangul Day. Since then, the government held expert discussions and public deliberations, but with strong arguments both for and against, the final decision has been put on hold.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.