Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
American to get top cultural merit for promoting Hangeul
Students of the King Sejong Institute, a Korean language institute for foreigners, celebrate Hangeul Day, which falls today, in front of the king’s statue in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Wednesday. The Korean alphabet was invented and promulgated during the rule of King Sejong (1418-1450). / Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
By Do Je-hae
Homer B. Hulbert (1863-1949) was a pioneer in promoting Hangeul at the turn of the 20th century. / Courtesy of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Korea will award the late Homer B. Hulbert (1863-1949) the Geumgwan Medal, the nation's highest cultural merit, for promoting the Korean alphabet, according to the culture ministry Wednesday.
Hulbert is one of 10 individuals and agencies within and outside Korea that the government will recognize during a ceremony today for their exceptional efforts to spread the Korean language. The ceremony is the government's key activity for Hangeul Day, which falls on Oct. 9 every year.
Kimball A. Hulbert will receive the medal on behalf of his great-grandfather, who first came to Korea in 1886. He was also a journalist and political activist who protested Japan's actions to annex Korea in early years of 20th century.
At a time when many Koreans were not using Hangeul due to the age-old practice of writing with Chinese characters, Hulbert left a unique legacy for introducing Hangeul to the masses.
"During the 1890s, when Hangeul was not readily used, Hulbert created Sa Min Pil Ji, the nation's first Korean-language textbook," said Gong Hyung-sik, a director at the culture ministry. The Sa Min Pil Ji, also known as the "Geographical Gazetteer of the World." is a textbook on global geography and culture. "He also conducted arduous studies on Hangeul and founded a Hangeul research center.”
A graduate of Dartmouth, he first arrived in Korea in 1886 to teach English at the Royal English School. He was close to Emperor Kojong (1852-1919). One of his young students just after the turn of the 20th century was Syngman Rhee (1875-1965), Korea's founding president. Hulbert died in Korea in 1948 and is interred at the Yanghwajin Foreigners' Cemetery in Seoul.
In addition, there is another notable foreigner who will receive the government medal. Wang Dan, a professor of Korean language at Beijing University, has been one of the foremost Chinese scholars of Korean language since 1995. She will receive the Prime Minister's Award.