Marking Hangul Day, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "The written word is a nation's face, and speech is its heart," adding, "The power of our language and script is the very competitiveness of the Republic of Korea."

In a post on Facebook on this day, President Lee said, "Today marks the 580th Hangul Day since King Sejong promulgated Hangul, and it is an especially meaningful year marking exactly 100 years since our ancestors first created 'Gagyanal' in 1926 during the Japanese colonial rule to safeguard our language and script."

President Lee recalled, "A century ago, our ancestors gave their all to protect our language and script. Many pioneers, including Ju Si-gyeong, researched, documented, and taught our spoken and written language despite oppression under Japanese colonial rule. It was their resolve that even if our country was stolen, we could never surrender our spirit and identity."

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

He continued, "Ju Si-gyeong said, 'When language rises, the nation rises; when language falls, the nation falls.' Today, Hangul has expanded beyond the Republic of Korea to become a writing system learned and cherished by people across the globe," noting, "The King Sejong Institute, which began in 13 locations across three countries in 2007, has expanded to 273 locations across 89 countries this year."

President Lee added, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the centennial of Hangul Day. If the past 100 years were a time of preserving Hangul and letting it take deep root in our lives, the next 100 years will be a time of further expanding Hangul's possibilities," expressing his belief that "our people will join together in their love for Hangul so that the Republic of Korea can continue as a cultural powerhouse."

(Photo: Yonhap News)