Lee Marks Centennial Hangeul Day With Call to Expand Korean Script’s Reach

President Lee Jae Myung celebrated the 100th anniversary of Hangeul Day on Friday, presenting the Korean writing system as both a defining part of South Korea’s identity and a source of national competitiveness.

In a message posted on Facebook, Lee described writing as the face of a country and language as its heart. He said the strength of Korea’s language and script contributes directly to the strength of the Republic of Korea.

The centennial marks a century since the Korean Language Society established Hangeul Day in 1926. The observance emerged while Korea was under Japanese colonial rule, when scholars and activists worked to preserve the Korean language and writing system as expressions of cultural identity. Lee paid tribute to those efforts, saying people a century ago were determined not to lose their spirit and identity even after losing their country.

Hangeul was created under King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty in 1443 and formally promulgated three years later. It was designed to supplement a writing system then dominated by Chinese characters and to make literacy more accessible. The alphabet has since become one of Korea’s most recognizable cultural achievements.

Lee also pointed to the growing international reach of the Korean language. He noted that the King Sejong Institute network, launched in 2007 to teach Korean abroad, has expanded to 89 countries. The growth reflects wider global interest in learning Korean alongside the international popularity of Korean music, television, cinema and other cultural products.

The president framed the anniversary not only as a commemoration of preservation but also as a starting point for broader development. He said the past century was a period in which Koreans protected Hangeul and established it firmly in daily life, while the next century should focus on widening its possibilities.

His message placed the writing system at the intersection of history, cultural memory and Korea’s contemporary global presence. As Hangeul Day reached its centennial, Lee’s remarks emphasized that the alphabet remains more than a tool of communication: it is a living national institution whose influence now extends well beyond the Korean Peninsula. The anniversary also highlighted the continuing connection between linguistic heritage and Korea’s cultural influence abroad.