On Hangeul Day, President Lee: "The Strength of Language and Writing Is Korea's Competitiveness"

Commemorating the 580th Hangeul Day and the 100th anniversary of 'Gagyanal'
"The next 100 years will be a time to expand the possibilities of Hangeul"
King Sejong Institute network expands to 273 locations in 89 countries... Hangeul's growing global

President Lee Jaemyung marked the 580th anniversary of Hangeul Day on Oct. 9, saying, "Writing is the face of a nation, and language is its heart," and "The power of our language and writing is the competitiveness of the Republic of Korea." He highlighted the significance of this year marking the 100th anniversary of Gagyanal, which was first established to protect the Korean language and writing during Japanese colonial rule, and stressed that the next 100 years should see Hangeul's potential reach even further around the world.

President Lee Jaemyung speaks at a public briefing on the Korea Green Transformation (K-GX) strategy, held at a conference venue in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2026. Yonhap News

In a message commemorating Hangeul Day posted on Facebook that day, Lee wrote: "Today marks the 580th anniversary of Hangeul Day, the day King Sejong created and promulgated Hangeul so that the people could express their thoughts easily and comfortably. This year is especially meaningful because it marks exactly 100 years since our ancestors first established Gagyanal in 1926, during Japanese colonial rule, to protect our language and writing."

He continued: "A hundred years ago, our ancestors, whose country had been taken from them, did everything they could to protect our language and writing. Many pioneers and scholars, including Ju Si-gyeong, studied, recorded and taught our language and writing despite Japanese oppression." He emphasized that this reflected their determination that, even though their country had been taken from them, they would not lose their spirit and identity as well.

He also underscored that Hangeul had laid the foundation for South Korea's growth and development. "We are now free to use the Hangeul that our ancestors protected," Lee said. "After liberation, Hangeul became the foundation for all citizens to learn and share knowledge, and it supported the growth and development of the Republic of Korea." In particular, he quoted Ju Si-gyeong's words, "When language rises, the nation rises; when language falls, the nation falls," saying that the development of a language is directly tied to a country's competitiveness.

He also emphasized Hangeul's growing stature around the world. "Hangeul has now become a writing system that people around the world learn and love, extending beyond the Republic of Korea," Lee said, noting that the number of King Sejong Institutes had grown from 13 in three countries when they were launched in 2007 to 273 in 89 countries this year. He added, "If the past 100 years were a time when we protected Hangeul and took root in our lives, the next 100 years will be a time to expand its potential further."

Lee said, "I believe our citizens will join forces to show their love for Hangeul so that we can continue to build the Republic of Korea as a cultural powerhouse, honoring the purpose behind Hangeul's creation and carrying forward the hopes of our ancestors who protected it." He added, "I sincerely celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hangeul Day."

Lee has recently shown particular interest in Hangeul's symbolism and the proper use of Korean. At a Cabinet meeting on Oct. 6, he proposed displaying Hangeul alongside the existing Chinese characters on the Gwanghwamun Gate signboard and stressed the need to gather public opinion thoroughly and reach a decision by next year. He also called for the proper use of language in public settings, including correcting incorrect expressions in broadcasts and official government documents.

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