Once there was a time when Korea had no written language for the Korean spoken language. For centuries, the official writing system for Korea was known as 한자 (Hanja). It’s sort of like the Korean version of Chinese characters. But there was a huge downside to having this as the writing system. Back in the day, only high ranking officials or royalties were allowed to learn to read and write 한자. Which means that the commoner, when presented with a piece of text in 한자 had no idea what it said, meaning that notices that were put out for the public were essentially not interpreted for anyone.
Fortunately, a certain great king realized this issue. King Sejong saw that his people people could not interact with any high-ranking officials, causing a problem of communication. Nothing productive could be done within the state. So for a couple years, King Sejong developed a whole new writing system that was entirely phonetic. Characters in 한글 (Hangul) had fixed sounds (some have 2), but they never change when combined with other characters. This made the introduction of 한글 one of the greatest accomplishments throughout the country’s entire history. The language is in fact still used today.
But the way 한글 was first presented to the people is an extremely important relic of the language’s history. The 훈민정음 (Hunminjeongeum), was the historical script/document that was read to King Sejong’s people during the Joseon Dynasty in the 15th century. In this document, is a message to his people that proclaims the invention of a new writing system for the people. He describes that because Joseon is an independent nation from China, a writing system from China does not fit the needs of the Joseon people. His wish was “that all the people may easily learn these letters and that [they] be convenient for daily use”.
But what is the actual significance of this document? Well, as mentioned before, the 훈민정음 promoted literacy for commoners. Because of King Sejong and this document, education about the ordinary folk, brings power to the country by bringing together a cultural unity. The [modern] alphabet system of 14 consonants and 10 vowels still remains one of the simplest and logical writing systems in the world to learn, from people of all backgrounds. 훈민정음 also serves as a symbol of national pride and independence. Its creation signified the Joseon (Korean) people's ability to assert their cultural and linguistic identity, distinct from Chinese influences. In modern South Korea, 한글 날 (Hangul Day) is celebrated annually, highlighting the script's importance and its role in preserving the nation's heritage. This document is of course the first recorded moment in Korea’s history with the use of 한글, which is still used today (with of course many changes). The original, official document is still well preserved at a museum in Korea. In 1962, the 훈민정음 was declared a national treasure by Korea and in 1997, it was registered by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Programme.
Comments
I agree that the alphabet system of 14 consonants and 10 vowels makes Hanguel one of the easiest languages in the world to learn. I remember that some countries that do not have their own writing system chose to use Hanguel as their writing system. Humninjeongeum and Hangeul are one of the most important aspects of Korean culture.