Why did Sejong create a new writing system, and why did he leave an explanation despite the opposition?

During the reign of King Sejong, the people of Joseon spoke in their native language, but writing was primarily based on Chinese characters. There was a gap between what people could say and what they could express in writing. This issue was the starting point for King Sejong’s creation of a new writing system. The king’s preface to the *Hunminjeongeum*, published in 1446, explains that the common people found it difficult to fully express their thoughts, and that the new writing system was intended to be easy to learn and use in daily life. Record from the *Sejong Sillok* for the 9th lunar month of 1446

Devising a new writing system was the first step toward bridging that gap. Opposition arose within the royal court, with concerns that the existing writing system and academic order would be disrupted, but the king countered by emphasizing the convenience it would bring to the people. Thus, the history of Hangul—which began with twenty-eight letters in 1443—cannot be explained solely by the moment of its invention. We must also examine the process of creating the script, promoting its use, and explaining it so that others could understand it.

1443: A New Tool for Writing the Korean Language Emerged

Even before the new script, there were methods such as Idu, Gugyeol, and Hyangchal that used Chinese characters to write the Korean language. However, according to the exhibition commentary at the National Hangeul Museum, reading and writing remained difficult for many people outside the select few who had mastered Chinese characters. What King Sejong sought to resolve was not the absence of language, but the difficulty of expressing that language in writing. National Hangeul Museum Explanation of the Background of Creation

An entry in the *Sejong Sillok* for the 12th lunar month of 1443 records that the king personally created 28 characters of the “Eonmun” and named them *Hunminjeongeum*. It also explains that the characters are formed by combining initial, medial, and final sounds. Thus, a system emerged that allowed the sounds of speech to be broken down into small elements and then recombined to form written characters. *Sejong Sillok*, Volume 102

On the 16th day of the second lunar month the following year, King Sejong ordered Choi Hang, Park Paeng-nyeon, Shin Suk-ju, and others to translate *Unhoe* into the new script. The Crown Prince, Prince Jin-yang, and Prince An-pyeong were tasked with overseeing the work and submitting it to the king for review. The new script had now moved beyond mere records of the king’s creation to the stage where scholars and the royal court were actually using it in their work. *Sejong Sillok*, February 16, 1444 (lunar calendar)

1444: The Reason Behind the Opposition to the Easy-to-Learn Script

Four days later, on the 20th day of the second lunar month, Choi Man-ri, who held the post of bujehak at the Jiphyeonjeon, and others submitted a memorial expressing their opposition. They argued that for Joseon—which had long followed Chinese script and institutions—to create its own writing system would constitute a departure from the established order. They also expressed concern that if official business could be conducted using the easy-to-learn Eonmun script, officials would lose the motivation to study Classical Chinese and Neo-Confucianism. Petition by Choi Man-ri et al. and King Sejong’s Response

Opinions were thus divided over the same feature. To King Sejong, the fact that it was easy to learn meant that more commoners could use it. To the opposing officials, it meant that people might study the scholarship they had long been accustomed to less diligently. At the heart of the debate lay not only the question of how sophisticated the script was, but also the issue of what people should learn and what script they should use for their work.

The petition also addressed injustices arising in court proceedings. In response to the argument that writing down the common people’s words in the new script and reading them aloud would be helpful, Choi Man-ri and others countered that there were people who, even if they could read, would make false confessions rather than endure beatings. Their logic was that the fairness of trials depended on the officials. This passage demonstrates that the debate over the necessity of the script extended to the concrete, everyday problems of the common people.

King Sejong’s Standard Was the Convenience of the People

King Sejong countered by citing the existing Idu script. His argument was that if the purpose of creating Idu was to provide convenience for the people, then the new Eonmun script could be viewed through the same lens. The exchange between the king, who advocated for the new script, and the officials who opposed it revealed the fundamental choice between maintaining the familiar script system and alleviating the hardships faced by those who struggled to write.

The conflict led to actual disciplinary actions. Choi Man-ri and others were sent to the Uigeumbu, and an order for their release was issued the following day. Jeong Chang-son was dismissed from his post, and an investigation was ordered into why Kim Mun had changed his statements. This process, as recorded in the *Annals*, shows that the new script did not emerge into the world amid unanimous approval from the court.

1446: Explaining It So Others Could Learn

Work on the new script continued even after the debates over opposition. The Annals for the ninth lunar month of 1446 include a record stating that the *Hunminjeongeum* was completed, along with King Sejong’s text, instructions on how to write the characters, and Jeong In-ji’s preface. This went a step beyond simply clarifying the need for the script to explain the principles of sound and character arrangement. *Sejong Sillok*, Vol. 113

Jeong In-ji’s preface states that, at the king’s command, he and scholars such as Choi Hang, Park Paeng-nyeon, Shin Suk-ju, and Seong Sam-mun wrote interpretations and examples of usage. This was an effort to make the knowledge of the creator of the new script accessible to others. The National Hangeul Museum also distinguishes between the creation of the script in 1443 and the production of the book explaining its purpose and principles in 1446. Behind Hangeul Day, which we celebrate today to commemorate its promulgation, lies this work of explanation.

Even today, when a native speaker of another language learns Hangul and writes their own thoughts for the first time, they can reflect on this history. The reason we commemorate Hangul goes beyond simply preserving an ancient invention. It is because the decision to enable those who wished to speak to convey their thoughts in writing, and the effort to explain it so that even beginners could learn, have led to the reading and writing skills we enjoy today.

Visitor Information · Yeoju Yeongneung

If you’re interested in Yeoju Yeongneung (英陵), the royal tomb of King Sejong and Queen Soheon, you can check out the Royal Tombs Guide from the Palace and Royal Tombs Heritage Headquarters and the Hangul Day Cultural Event Guide from the Yeoju Sejong Culture and Tourism Foundation.