North Korea celebrates the 1444 invention of an alphabet designed for common people
While many languages evolved over millennia, the Korean alphabet was deliberately engineered in the 15th century to empower commoners who struggled with the complexities of traditional Chinese characters.
North Korea celebrates Chosongul Day every January 15 to honor King Sejong the Great, who introduced a revolutionary phonetic script in 1444. Before this, Koreans used complex Chinese characters that took years to master, leaving the majority of the population illiterate.
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