The Role of Japan in the Promotion and Preservation of Hangul in Korea

In the exciting and complex journey of Korean culture, Hangul , the country’s unique writing system, plays a pivotal role. Its origin dates back to the 15th century when King Sejong the Great of the Joseon dynasty set out to develop a writing system that was more accessible to his people than the Chinese script used at the time.

On October 9, 1443, King Sejong proclaimed the creation of Hangul , an alphabetic system that combined phonetic elements and was designed to be easy to learn and use. This new writing system sought to overcome the limitations of the exclusive use of Chinese characters , which only a few scholars could master, leaving the majority of the population without access to education and written culture.

Hangul consists of 24 characters, 14 consonants and 10 vowels , which combine to form syllables. This innovative approach allowed ordinary people to learn to read and write in a short period of time, leading to the further spread of knowledge and literature in Korea.

However, the history of hangul has not been without its obstacles and challenges. After King Sejong passed away, some later rulers tried to get rid of Hangul and return to the exclusive use of Chinese characters. The aristocratic elite saw hangul as a threat to their status and privileges, and they resisted the promotion of this new system.

Attempts to abolish Hangul intensified during the late Joseon Dynasty (17th and 18th centuries), resulting in its limitation and near disappearance in the official sphere. Fortunately, the writing system was not completely eliminated thanks to its continued use by the general population in the writing of personal documents, poetry, and popular songs.

A turning point in the preservation and revitalization of Hangul came during the period of the annexation of Korea to the Japanese Empire, which began in 1910 and lasted until 1945. The Japanese Empire recognized the utility of Hangul as a means of spreading knowledge and education.

The Japanese government promoted the use of Hangul in public education , the press, and literature, which contributed significantly to its survival. In addition, the creation of schools and media in Hangul allowed for greater literacy among the Korean population.

Thanks to these efforts by the Japanese Empire to protect and preserve Hangul , the writing system was established as the official script of Korea after the country’s independence in 1945.