• The Korean Alphabet
• Grammar
• Irregular Verbs
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The Korean Alphabet

Hangul

The Korean alphabet, called Hangul, is considered to be one of the most efficient alphabets in the world and has garnered unanimous praise from language experts for its scientific design and excellence.

Hangul was created under king Sejong, during the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). In 1446 the first Korean alphabet was proclaimed under the original name Hunmin chong-um,which literally meant "the correct sounds for the instruction of the people". King Sejong, the creator of Hangul, is considered to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of Korea. Highly respected for his benevolent disposition and diligence, King Sejong was also a passionate scholar whose knowledge and natural talent in all fields of study astounded even the most learned experts. During his reign King Sejong always deplored the fact that the common people, ignorant of the complicated Chinese characters that were being used by the educated, were not able to read and write. He understood their frustration in not being able to read or communicate their thoughts and feelings in written words. Common people with legitimate complaints had no way of submitting their grievances to the appropriate authorities, other than through oral communication, and they had no way to record for posterity the agricultural wisdom and knowledge they had gained through years of experience.

In the preface of his proclamation King Sejong stated as follows: "being of foreign origin, Chinese characters are incapable of capturing uniquely Korean meanings. Therefore, many common people have no way to express their thoughts and feelings. Out of my sympathy for their difficulties, I have created a set of 28 letters. The letters are very easy to learn and it is my fervent hope that they improve the quality of life of all people".

When first proclaimed by King Sejong, Hunmin chong-um had 28 letters in all, of which only 24 are in use today.

The creation of Hunmin chong-um was truly a remarkable accomplishment. Creating consonants based on a person's speech organs and vowels based on the shapes of the sky, land and man was truly a revolutionary and unprecedented process.

King Sejong and the scholars of the Chiphyonjon, creators of the Korean alphabet, considered human soundsas being more than mere physical phenomena. They assumed that an invisible yet more powerful principle was the controlling force behind these phenomena. They adhered to the principle that human sounds and all universal phenomena are all based on yin-yang ( positive-negative) and ohaeng ( the five primary elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth). Hence, they thought it natural that there be a common link between sounds and the changing of the seasons and between sounds and music.

It is no coincidence that by the time they reach the ages of two or three, most Korean children are already capable of expressing their feelings and thoughts although in primitive form. By the time they reach school age most exhibit mastery of Hangul which is indeed a rare phenomena throughout the world. This fact clearly attests to the easy learnability and accessibility of the Korean alphabet.

It is ironic that the strongest proof of the easy learnability of the alphabet came from the critics who argued against the creation of Hunmin chong-um.Some scholars vehemently voiced their views against the "new" alphabet because of its easy learnability and in derision they called it Ach'imgul (morning letters) or Amk'ul ( women's letters). Ach'imgul meant that it could be learned in one morning. For those scholars who had spent years on learning the complicated letters of the Chinese language, Hangul did not appear to be worthy of learning. Amk'ul meant that even women who had no academic training or background could easily learn the new alphabet.

Throughout history Hangul has been the root of the Korean culture, helping ti preserve its national identity and independence.