Sejong City celebrates King Sejong's birthday, promotes Hangeul

Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho, left, poses with Minister of Government Legislation Lee Wan-kyu after signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at simplifying Chinese characters and foreign words into more accessible Korean expressions at the Sejong City Hall, Tuesday. Courtesy of Sejong City

The Sejong City Government hosted a commemoration ceremony, Wednesday, to honor the 627th birthday of King Sejong the Great, the fourth monarch of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty who invented Hangeul, the Korean writing system.

The city named after the monarch said the event sought to recognize the king's legacy and contributions to Korean culture.

A wide array of activities were organized to mark the occasion in collaboration with institutions such as the Korea University Sejong Korean Culture Center and the Sejong Culture and Tourism Foundation, drawing participation from various figures, including Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho, city council members and representatives from cultural organizations as well as citizens.

The ceremony served not only as a tribute to King Sejong's contributions but also as a celebration of Hangeul. Numerous cultural events took place, allowing attendees to learn King Sejong's achievements and the beauty of the Korean language.

Highlights of the event included performances, art exhibitions featuring names in Hangeul, displays showcasing King Sejong's accomplishments and quotes and opportunities for visitors to write handwritten letters to the monarch in Hangeul.

"I hope that everyone who has attended could feel the presence of the teacher of this country as we all use our Hangeul in daily lives," Choi said.

"Sejong City will continue to take the lead in promoting Hangeul culture, such as promoting national projects to integrate education, experience and play based on Hangeul."

Meanwhile, Sejong City has teamed up with the Ministry of Government Legislation to spearhead an initiative aimed at simplifying Chinese characters and foreign words into more accessible Korean expressions.

Choi and Minister Lee Wan-kyu inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Tuesday to develop Sejong as a specialized city for Hangeul culture.

The MOU seeks to streamline the country's regulations and ordinances, which are heavily reliant on Chinese characters and foreign terms, into Korean.