King Sejong the Great created Hangeul,
the Korean alphabet, in 1443.
King Sejong Statue

KING SEJONG STATUE

The statue of King Sejong the Great stands in Gwanghwamun Square in the heart of Seoul. It was built to celebrate his invention of Hangeul and his dedication to improving the lives of the people.

This iconic statue reminds visitors of King Sejong's legacy and his role in shaping Korean culture through language.

Hangeul, Its Origin, Scientific Nature, and Historical Development

1. Introduction

Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was created in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great (r. 1418–1450), the fourth monarch of the Joseon dynasty. Completed in 1443 and officially promulgated in 1446, Hangeul is widely regarded as one of the most scientifically designed and easiest-to-learn writing systems in the world.

The invention is documented in several key historical texts:

  • Hunminjeongeum (1446) – the original proclamation of the alphabet
  • Hunminjeongeum Haerye (1446) – the explanatory edition describing its linguistic principles

Links for reference:

2. Background: Why Korea Needed a New Script

2.1 Writing Before Hangeul

Before Hangeul, Koreans used the following writing systems:

  • Classical Chinese (Hanja) for government, scholarship, and literature
  • Auxiliary systems like Idu, Hyangchal, and Gugyeol that adapted Chinese characters phonetically

These systems had major problems:

  • Chinese and Korean are fundamentally different languages, making accurate transcription difficult.
  • Learning thousands of characters required many years of study.
  • As a result, only the aristocratic elite (yangban) were truly literate.
  • Common people, women, and lower classes had almost no access to writing.

2.2 King Sejong’s Motivation

In the preface of Hunminjeongeum, King Sejong explicitly notes that:

  • Korean speech differs from Chinese.
  • Yet the people must use Chinese characters.
  • Chinese characters are too difficult for ordinary people.
  • Thus “people cannot express their thoughts.”

His motivations included:

  • Social: Give commoners the power of literacy.
  • Moral / Confucian: A benevolent king must help people access knowledge.
  • Administrative: Improve communication of laws and royal orders.
  • Cultural: Establish a uniquely Korean writing system.

3. The Creation of Hangeul

3.1 Timeline

  • 1443 (12th lunar month) – Sejong completes the design of the alphabet.
  • 1444–1445 – Testing and early usage in literature.
  • 1446 – Official promulgation through Hunminjeongeum and its explanatory Haerye edition.

3.2 Who Created It?

Historical records are explicit about King Sejong’s authorship:

  • Sejong Sillok states that “the king personally created 28 letters.”
  • Jeong In-ji’s postface in the Haerye praises King Sejong as the creator.

Modern scholarship therefore confirms that King Sejong was the primary inventor of Hangeul, supported by scholars in the Hall of Worthies.

4. The Scientific Design of Hangeul

Hangeul is often called one of the most scientific alphabets because its shapes and system reflect phonetic principles rather than arbitrary forms.

4.1 Consonants Based on Speech Organs

The basic consonants imitate the shape of the mouth and tongue when producing the sounds:

  • ㄱ – back of the tongue touching the soft palate (velar)
  • ㄴ – tip of the tongue touching the upper gum ridge (alveolar)
  • ㅁ – lips closed (bilabial)
  • ㅅ – teeth slightly exposed (sibilant)
  • ㅇ – open throat (glottal)

Additional strokes indicate finer phonetic features:

  • Aspiration: ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ
  • Tenseness / fortis: ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ

This makes Hangeul a featural writing system—the graphic structure of the letters directly shows the phonetic features of the sounds.

4.2 Vowels Based on Philosophical Principles

Hangeul vowels are built from three symbolic elements:

  • • (heaven)
  • ㅡ (earth)
  • ㅣ (human)

Their combinations systematically represent vowel height, frontness, and rounding. The system is therefore both philosophically symbolic and phonologically precise.

4.3 Syllable Block System

Hangeul letters are combined into square syllable blocks rather than written in a straight line.

Syllables are generally written in units of: initial consonant + vowel + optional final consonant.

This block structure improves readability, preserves Korean rhythmic structure, and gives Korean writing its distinctive visual appearance.

5. How Easy Is Hangeul to Learn?

5.1 Small Number of Symbols

Hangeul uses 24 basic letters (14 consonants and 10 vowels), plus a few combined vowels and consonants. This is far easier to learn than:

  • Thousands of Chinese characters
  • The irregular and inconsistent spelling of English

5.2 Learnable in Hours

Historically, people said:

“A wise man can learn Hangeul before the morning is over; a foolish man can learn it in ten days.”

Modern learners commonly report that they:

  • Learn all the letters in 1–2 hours
  • Can read simple words in a day
  • Reach comfortable reading ability in about 1–2 weeks

5.3 Highly Regular Spelling

Korean orthography follows clear and systematic rules:

  • Letters map consistently to sounds.
  • Pronunciation changes (such as final consonant, or batchim, rules) are systematic.
  • Spelling is standardized by law in both North and South Korea.

Compared with English spelling (for example, “though,” “thought,” “tough,” “through”), Hangeul is dramatically more regular and predictable.

6. Advantages of Hangeul

6.1 Linguistic Advantages

  • High phonetic accuracy
  • Featural design that enables systematic learning
  • Adaptability for dialects and foreign words
  • Clear syllable structure

6.2 Social and Historical Advantages

  • Mass literacy became possible in the 20th century.
  • Hangeul empowered women and commoners in the Joseon period.
  • It became a symbol of Korean national identity during Japanese colonial rule.

6.3 Modern Practical Advantages

  • Efficient digital input on keyboards and mobile devices
  • Excellent legibility for both print and screens
  • Supports early education and cognitive development thanks to its regularity

7. Hangeul After Sejong: Joseon, Modern Korea, and Today

7.1 Late Joseon

In the late Joseon period, Hangeul gradually spread through women, Buddhist monks, and popular literature, while the elite continued to prefer Chinese characters for official and scholarly use.

7.2 Japanese Colonial Era (1910–1945)

During the Japanese colonial period:

  • Japanese became the official language.
  • Korean and Hangeul were restricted, but they survived through education, publishing, and private use.
  • Hangeul Day was established in 1926 to celebrate the script.
  • The Korean Language Society created a unified spelling system in 1933.

7.3 After Liberation (1945–Present)

After Korea’s liberation in 1945, both Koreas implemented mass literacy campaigns based on Hangeul.

  • North Korea abolished Hanja (Chinese characters) entirely.
  • South Korea significantly reduced the use of Hanja.
  • Hangeul became the primary official script of both nations.
  • As a result, Korea achieved near-universal literacy in the modern era.

8. Documentary Evidence That Sejong Created Hangeul

8.1 Hunminjeongeum (1446)

Hunminjeongeum is the official proclamation of Hangeul, explaining the purpose of the new script and giving examples of its use.

English translation: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Hunminjeongeum

8.2 Hunminjeongeum Haerye

The Hunminjeongeum Haerye explains in detail how Hangeul letters reflect articulation and philosophical principles. Jeong In-ji’s postface explicitly attributes the invention to King Sejong.

8.3 Sejong Sillok (Veritable Records of Sejong)

The Sejong Sillok (Veritable Records of Sejong) famously records that “the king personally created 28 letters,” leaving little doubt about Sejong’s central role in Hangeul’s creation.

8.4 National Institute of Korean Language (NIKL)

The National Institute of Korean Language and official Korean government sources confirm King Sejong’s authorship and describe his goals in creating Hangeul. See: https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/short/001.html

9. Short Summary for Quick Sharing (English)

Hangeul was created by King Sejong in the 15th century to give ordinary Koreans an easy and accurate writing system. Its letters are scientifically designed based on the shapes of the speech organs and on philosophical principles. Hangeul is extremely easy to learn, highly regular, and capable of representing Korean sounds with great precision. Despite resistance from elites, it eventually became the national script and enabled mass literacy in modern Korea. Its creation is documented in Hunminjeongeum, the Haerye edition, and the Veritable Records of Sejong.

King Sejong the Great – 10 Essential Facts

crown icon King Sejong the Great

10 Essential Facts about One of Korea’s Most Revered Monarchs

  1. Full Name and Dates: Born Yi Do on May 15, 1397 (Lunar: April 10), died on March 30, 1450 (Lunar: February 17).
  2. Reign Period: Reigned as the 4th King of Joseon from September 9, 1418 to March 30, 1450.
  3. Family and Succession: Third son of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong. Became heir after Prince Yangnyeong was deposed.
  4. Creator of Hangeul: Invented Hunminjeongeum in 1443, officially published in 1446—now known as Hangeul, Korea’s writing system.
  5. Science & Innovation: Supported inventions like the sundial, rain gauge, water clock, and celestial globe, developed by Jang Yeong-sil.
  6. Military & Expansion: Sent troops to repel pirates and expanded Korea’s northern borders through the 4 Garrisons and 6 Posts.
  7. Economic & Legal Reforms: Introduced the Gongbeop system (land tax reforms) including the 6-grade and 9-yield level laws.
  8. Political System: Established a cabinet-style government and appointed wise officials like Hwang Hui and Kim Jong-seo.
  9. Legacy Today: His portrait is on the ₩10,000 banknote. The King Sejong Institute teaches Korean worldwide in his name.
  10. Memorials & Celebrations: Buried in Yeoju (Yeongneung Tomb). Hangeul Day (Oct 9) is a national holiday. A large statue stands in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul.

Korean flag icon Honoring King Sejong’s enduring legacy in Korean language, science, and humanity.

About the 10,000 Won Note

ABOUT THE 10,000 WON NOTE

The person featured on the Korean 10,000 won note is King Sejong the Great, a highly respected ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for creating Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, to promote literacy among all people.

As of July 26, 2025, 10,000 Korean won is approximately 7.2 USD
(based on an exchange rate of around 1,380.0 won per dollar)