The Process of Creating Hangeul

Hangeul is the script used by Koreans, created by King Sejong the Great for the benefit of his people. During the Joseon Dynasty, literacy was limited to a select few, and many commoners struggled to learn the complex Chinese characters. King Sejong sought to resolve this inconvenience by creating a new writing system. The fundamental principles of Hangeul were completed in 1443, and it was promulgated to the world under the name "Hunminjeongeum" in 1446. A key characteristic of Hangeul is that its consonants and vowels were created based on a consistent principle. The consonants were designed by imitating the shapes of the mouth and throat during pronunciation, while the vowels originated from the basic principles representing heaven, earth, and humanity. Because letters are combined to form syllables, Hangeul is convenient to learn and use. Today, Hangeul is the primary script for recording the Korean language and is regarded as an important cultural heritage that connects our language and culture. Hangeul continues to be used today as a vital script for recording our thoughts and culture. It is widely used even now.