President Yoon Suk Yeol made a surprise visit to the National Hangeul Museum in Seoul on Thursday, four days ahead of Hangeul Day, to look at various exhibitions documenting the history of the Korean alphabet, his office said.
Yoon was greeted by two groups of kindergarteners who were visiting the museum and took photos with them before entering the exhibition halls, which featured a collection of letters written by King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty in hangeul and a draft of the first Korean dictionary, among other things, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.
"The spirit of hangeul, which was invented by King Sejong, is in line with the goals of freedom, equality and prosperity of the modern day Republic of Korea," Yoon said as he finished the tour, according to Lee.
"King Sejong wished that all people, regardless of position or gender, would communicate freely through hangeul," he added. "Unlike the general prejudice that it was only used by people of low positions or women, hangeul was an alphabet equally used by people of various classes from the king to the servant."
Yoon noted the large role hangeul played in helping South Korea become an IT powerhouse, saying it served as a foundation for the nation's prosperity.
Source: Yonhap News Agency