October 9 is Hangeul Day

By Chung Hyun-chae

Hangeul is no longer an alphabet only for Koreans. Some people who don’t have a writing system have adopted it, while others learn it to better understand lyrics of K-pop or watch Korean dramas with less help from subtitles.

At the forefront of this hangeul globalization are King Sejong institutes, which are supported by the government.

King Sejong, credited with creating hanguel and other achievements, has become one of the few Joseon-era rulers to be given “Great” status.

The number of King Sejong institutes is now tallied at 117 in 51 nations, which is more than a five-fold increase over 2010 when there were 23 institutesin 12 countries. They had 28,000 foreign students last year.

“As Korean culture goes viral to the world, King Sejong institutes are facing the sky-rocketing demand for learning hangeul over the world. In February, our institute conducted a survey of 2,089 students from 46 institutes in 29 nations, showing 34 percent came for Korean culture,” said Lee Kyu-lim, a spokesman at the institute.

King Sejong institutes play a key role in disseminating Hangeul and Korean culture to the world.

In the process, more people in the global village can appreciate the beauty of Hangeul and the science behind it.

Today is Hangeul Day, which regained its status as a national holiday after 23 years.So let us think of King Sejong institutes and hanguel warriors.

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