Marking Hangeul Day today (October 9), President Lee Jae-myung said, "Writing is the face of a country, and speech is the heart of a country," adding, "The power of our language and writing is the very competitiveness of the Republic of Korea."

In a post on Facebook, President Lee noted, "Today marks the 580th Hangeul Day since King Sejong the Great promulgated Hangeul, and it is a particularly meaningful year marking exactly 100 years since our ancestors first created 'Gagyanal' in 1926 during the Japanese colonial period to protect our language and writing."

He continued, "One hundred years ago, our ancestors dedicated all their strength to protecting our spoken and written language," recalling, "Despite persecution under Japanese colonial rule, many pioneers, including Ju Si-gyeong, researched, recorded, and taught our spoken and written language. It was their resolve that even if our nation was taken from us, we could never lose our spirit and identity."

He especially emphasized, "We are now able to freely use the Hangeul that our ancestors protected," adding, "Since liberation, Hangeul has underpinned the growth and development of the Republic of Korea."

Citing Ju Si-gyeong's words that 'when language rises, the country rises, and when language declines, the country declines,' President Lee explained, "Hangeul has now moved beyond South Korea to become a writing system learned and loved by people across the globe."

He added, "King Sejong Institute, which started with 13 locations in three countries in 2007, has expanded to 273 locations in 89 countries this year."

President Lee went on to say, "I sincerely celebrate the centennial of Hangeul Day. If the past 100 years were a time of defending Hangeul and rooting it deeply in our lives, the next 100 years will be a time of further broadening the possibilities of Hangeul," adding, "I believe the public will unite their love for Hangeul so that the Republic of Korea can continue to thrive as a cultural powerhouse."