Happy Hangul Day!
Sources and explanation
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Seoul Record of the completion of Hunminjeongeum - 1446.9『世宗實錄』 vol. 113, Sejong year 28, 9th month, "是月, 訓民正音成" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_12809029_004)
『訓民正音』 Haerye edition, preface by Jeong In-ji, "正統十一年九月上澣" (National Institute of Korean Language website, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Pyeongchang-gun Sangwonsa fundraising appeal (상원사 중창권선문) - 1464Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0038154 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09). Document dated 天順 8, 12th month, 18th day
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Daejeon Na Sin-geol Hangul letter, excavation site - c. 1490Bae Young-hwan, 「현존 최고의 한글편지 '신창맹씨묘출토언간'에 대한 국어학적인 연구」, 『국어사연구』 15, 2012, pp. 211-239
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Gyeongseong-gun, North Hamgyong Distribution of Confucian classics in Hangul translation after a petition from northern scholars - 1631『仁祖實錄』 Injo year 9, 12th month, 24th day (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kpa_10912024_001)
Na Sin-geol letter transcription (Korean Wikisource, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Hapcheon-gun Bongseosa reprint of Mogja Susimgyeol eonhae - 1500Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0073128, E0018662 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Nonsan-si Yeonsan Gounsa edition of Mongsan Hwasang Beobeo Yangnok eonhae - 1517Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0078014 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Gimcheon-si Iryun Haengsildo printed at Gimsan-gun - 1518Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0044125 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Andong-si Gwangheungsa edition of Worin Seokbo vol. 21 - 1542Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0041047 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Kaesong Hwajangsa edition of Bulseol Daebo Bumo Eunjunggyeong eonhae - 1553東京大学 小倉文庫 copy, colophon "京畿長端地寳鳳山華蔵寺開板" (University of Tokyo Digital Archive, accessed 2026.10.09)
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0064851 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Gwangju Gwangju edition of the Thousand Character Classic - 1575Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0056006 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09). Colophon "萬曆三年月日光州刊上"
東京大学 小倉文庫 copy (University of Tokyo Digital Archive, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Uiju-gun, North Pyongan Order to send posters written in Hangul - 1592『宣祖實錄』 Seonjo year 25, 8th month, 19th day, "以諺書多書榜文" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kna_12508019_001)
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Haeju, South Hwanghae Place where King Seonjo's Hangul proclamation was written - 1593Korean History through Historical Sources, Seonjo Gungmun Yuseo (Contents of Korean History, National Institute of Korean History, accessed 2026.10.09)
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0028913 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Gimhae-si Use and preservation of King Seonjo's Hangul proclamation - 1593Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0028913 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
Gimhae City website gimhae.go.kr (Gimhae City, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Dalseong-gun, Daegu Hyeonpung Gwak family letters - 1602Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0074544 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
Encyclopedia of Korean Local Culture, Dalseong GC40801743 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Hamhung Han Gyo, Yeonbyeong Jinam - 1612Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0036784 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
練兵指南 held by the University of Tokyo, colophon "萬曆四十年七月上浣…書于咸山之豊沛館" (University of Tokyo Digital Archive, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Sokcho-si Sinheungsa edition of Jineonjip - 1658Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0054802 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Yeongyang-gun Jang Gye-hyang, Eumsik Dimibang - c. 1670Eumsik Dimibang article (Academy of Korean Studies Digital Humanities Wiki, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Myongchon-gun, North Hamgyong Gyeongminpyeon and Gwonminga sent to each county - 1681『肅宗實錄』 Sukjong year 7, 7th month, 21st day (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/ksa_10707021_002)
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Namyangju-si Buramsa edition of Bumo Eunjunggyeong eonhae - 1687Song Il-gi and Park Min-hee, 「새로 발견된 湖南板 <父母恩重經諺解> 4종의 書誌的 硏究」, 『한국도서관·정보학회지』 41(2), 2010
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Pyongyang Pyeongan provincial office reprint of Nogeoldae eonhae - 1745Han Mi-kyung, 「「노걸대(老乞大)」 언해본에 대한 서지적 연구」, 『서지학연구』 52, 2012, pp. 323-352
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0033066 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09). 1745 is the preface year -
Kapsan-gun, Ryanggang Yi Gwang-myeong, Bukchanga - 1755Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0024748 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Busan Original Hangul memorandum from the Japan House (Waegwan) - 1760宗家文庫 日誌物 1096-6, Hangul memorandum of 1760.4.17 by the hundo and byeolcha (cited in Kishida Fumitaka 2015)
『分類紀事大綱』 entry of 1753.6.7, copy (National Institute of Korean History collection, cited in Kishida Fumitaka 2015) -
Jeju 100 copies of the Hangul translation of Sok Myeonguirok sent - 1781『正祖實錄』 Jeongjo year 5, 6th month, 20th day (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kva_10506020_003)
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Yeongwol-gun Royal order copied in Chinese and Hangul and posted - 1791『正祖實錄』 Jeongjo year 15, 2nd month, 6th day, "眞諺翻謄" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kva_11502006_001)
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Hwaseong-si Yongjusa printing blocks of the pure-Hangul Bulseol Daebo Bumo Eunjunggyeong - 1796Korea Heritage Service portal, Yongjusa printing blocks (Korea Heritage Service, accessed 2026.10.09)
Song Il-gi and Park Min-hee, 「새로 발견된 湖南板 <父母恩重經諺解> 4종의 書誌的 硏究」, 『한국도서관·정보학회지』 41(2), 2010 -
Danyang-gun First printing of Yongdam Yusa - 1881Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0039428 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Ryongyon-gun, South Hwanghae Sorae Church - 1884Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0048681 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Most South Korean si and gun Founding of modern public schools - 1895 to 1912School histories (Korean Wikipedia school articles, accessed 2026.10.09)
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0030334, Rules for Primary School Curriculum, Ministry of Education Ordinance No. 3, 1895.8 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Jaeryong-gun, South Hwanghae Korean language course of the summer Korean language school - 1910Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0060545 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
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Hongwon-gun, South Hamgyong Start of the Korean Language Society incident - 1942New History of Korea, Korean Language Society incident (Contents of Korean History, National Institute of Korean History, accessed 2026.10.09)
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0064295, Hongwon-gun (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Route and storage records Units where Hangul texts passed through or were stored - 45 si and gun『世宗實錄』 Sejong year 26, 2nd month, 20th day, memorial by Choe Man-ri on the royal trip to Chosu in Cheongju (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_12602020_001)
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0004887 Gwanseo Byeolgok, E0042953 Eulbyeong Yeonhaengnok, E0036984 Yeonhaengga, E0026254 Sanseong Ilgi (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
Ildong Jangyuga (Culture Portal, Arts Knowledge Encyclopedia, Korea Culture Information Service Agency, accessed 2026.10.09)
Guide to the archives of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.09)
Report on moving the Jeonju archive copy of the Annals to Naejangsan (Jeonbuk Ilbo, published 2023.06.25)
Report on King Jeongjo's procession to Hwaseong (Aju Business Daily, published 2018.10.16), Siheung Haenggung guide (Geumcheon-gu website, accessed 2026.10.09)
Reports on the route of Jeong Cheol's Gwandong Byeolgok tour (Kyunghyang Shinmun, published 2001.11.23; Korean Teachers Newspaper)
Proceedings of the symposium for the 140th anniversary of John Ross's Korean Bible translation (Korean Bible Society) -
30 overlapping Joseon counties Territory before 1906 - 60 si and gunImperial Ordinance No. 49 of Gwangmu year 10 on the reorganization of local districts, 1906 (Korean Wikisource transcription, accessed 2026.10.09)
Administrative histories of each si and gun (Korean Wikipedia, Paju City and Sinan County websites, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Remaining North Korean si and gun Literacy campaign - 1946Ko Young-jin 2005 paper (同志社大学 institutional repository)
Seoul National University S-Space paper 10371/98750 (Seoul National University, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Remaining South Korean si and gun Act on the Exclusive Use of Hangul - 1948Encyclopedia of Korean Culture E0081365, Act No. 6, enacted 1948.10.9 (Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
National Archives of Korea, Hangul policy records (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.09) -
Geumsan-gun and Taebaek-si Records before 1894 and modern schools - no dataNo record with both a date and a place was found. The map colors them at the 1948 baseline
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Hangul Day October 9 - early 9th lunar month of the Haerye completion, converted to the solar calendar『訓民正音』 Haerye edition, preface by Jeong In-ji, "正統十一年九月上澣" (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446)
Hangeul Policy Chronology 1940.10.9, date re-examined and moved to October 9 (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10) -
First celebration Gagya Day - 1926.11.4Hangeul Policy Chronology 1926.11.4, first ceremony by the Korean Language Research Society and Sinminsa (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10)
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Name change Gagya Day to Hangul Day - 1928.11.11Hangeul Policy Chronology 1928.11.11 (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10)
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Public holiday designated 1946, made a commemoration day 1990, holiday again 2013Hangeul Policy Chronology 1946.5.2 US Military Government Ordinance No. 9, 1949.6.4 Regulation on Public Holidays, 1990.11.1 change to a commemoration day (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10)
Hangeul Policy website, "Hangul Day, a legal holiday again (2013)" (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10) -
National day Hangul Day - 2006Hangeul Policy Chronology 2006.10.9, Hangul Day made a national day (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10)
Act on National Holidays, Article 2, amended 2005 (Korea Law Information Center, accessed 2026.10.10) -
Creation of Hunminjeongeum 28 letters - 1443.12『世宗實錄』 vol. 102, Sejong year 25, 12th month, 30th day, "是月, 上親制諺文二十八字" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_12512030_002)
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Petition against it Choe Man-ri and others - 1444.2.20『世宗實錄』 vol. 103, Sejong year 26, 2nd month, 20th day (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_12602020_001)
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Haerye completed 『訓民正音』 - 1446.9『世宗實錄』 vol. 113, Sejong year 28, 9th month, 29th day, "是月, 訓民正音成" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_12809029_004)
『訓民正音』 Haerye edition, preface by Jeong In-ji, "正統十一年九月上澣" (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446) -
Haerye original found in Andong 1940, National Treasure, UNESCO Memory of the World 1997The Hunmin Chongum Manuscript, inscribed 1997 (UNESCO Memory of the World Register, accessed 2026.10.10)
Report on the discovery and ownership of the Haerye edition (Newsis, published 2017.02.26) -
Basic consonants shaped after the speech organs - ㄱ ㄴ ㅁ ㅅ ㅇ『訓民正音』 Haerye, Explanation of the Design of the Letters, "牙音ㄱ 象舌根閉喉之形. 舌音ㄴ 象舌附上腭之形. 脣音ㅁ 象口形. 齒音ㅅ 象齒形. 喉音ㅇ 象喉形" (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446)
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Added strokes a stronger sound gets an extra stroke - ㅋ ㄷ ㅌ ㅂ ㅍ ㅈ ㅊ ㆆ ㅎ『訓民正音』 Haerye, Explanation of the Design of the Letters, "ㅋ比ㄱ 聲出稍厲 故加畫" (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446)
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Basic vowels shaped after heaven, earth and human - ㆍ ㅡ ㅣ『訓民正音』 Haerye, Explanation of the Design of the Letters, ㆍ "形之圓 象乎天也", ㅡ "形之平 象乎地也", ㅣ "形之立 象乎人也" (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446)
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Combined vowels basic vowels joined - ㅗ ㅏ ㅜ ㅓ『訓民正音』 Haerye, Explanation of the Design of the Letters, "ㅗ與ㆍ同而口蹙 其形則ㆍ與ㅡ合而成" and others (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446)
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Syllable blocks initial, medial and final sounds joined into one letter『世宗實錄』 vol. 102, Sejong year 25, 12th month, 30th day, "分爲初中終聲, 合之然後乃成字" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History, sillok.history.go.kr/id/kda_12512030_002)
『訓民正音』 Haerye, Examples and Meanings, "凡字必合而成音" (Kansong Art and Culture Foundation collection, 1446) -
Number of letters 28 in 1446, 24 today『世宗實錄』 vol. 102, Sejong year 25, 12th month, 30th day, "諺文二十八字" (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Institute of Korean History)
Hangeul Policy Chronology 1933.10.29, Unified Hangul Spelling System by the Korean Language Society (National Archives of Korea, accessed 2026.10.10)
Korean Orthography, Article 4, "한글 자모의 수는 스물넉 자로 하고" (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Notice No. 2017-12, National Institute of Korean Language) -
South Korea Official documents written in Hangul - Framework Act on the Korean Language, Article 14Framework Act on the Korean Language, Article 14 (Korea Law Information Center, accessed 2026.10.10)
Act on the Exclusive Use of Hangul, Act No. 6, enacted 1948.10.9 (National Archives of Korea, Hangeul Policy Chronology, accessed 2026.10.10) -
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, China Korean and Chinese used together, Korean first - 1988 regulation, revised 2004「延边朝鲜族自治州朝鲜语言文字工作条例」 Article 2 (Encyclopedia of Overseas Korean Culture GC05303713, Academy of Korean Studies, accessed 2026.10.09)
「中华人民共和国民族区域自治法」 Article 21, 1984 (Université Laval copy of the law, accessed 2026.10.09)
「民族团结进步促进法」 passed 2026.3.12, in force 2026.7.1 (JoongAng Ilbo, published 2026.03.13) -
Sakhalin Oblast, Russia Se Korea Sinmun - 5 of 8 pages in Korean, 2019Se Korea Sinmun (Wikipedia, accessed 2026.10.09)
Report on the 1963 closure of Korean schools in Sakhalin (Kyunghyang Shinmun, published 2010.07.25) -
Almaty, Kazakhstan Koryo Ilbo and the State Academic Korean TheatreKoryo Ilbo, Korean Theatre of Kazakhstan (Wikipedia, accessed 2026.10.09)
About 172,000 Koreans deported in 1937 (Global Voices, published 2024.06.24) -
Tashkent, Uzbekistan Koryo-saram settled 1937, Association of Korean Cultural Centers 1991Koryo-saram (Wikipedia, accessed 2026.10.09)
Report on the Association of Korean Cultural Centers of Uzbekistan (Kyeongin Ilbo) -
Baubau, Indonesia Classes in Cia-Cia written in Hangul - 2009Hangeul didn't become Cia-Cia's official writing (Korea Times, published 2010.10.06)
Govt to correct textbook on Cia-Cia (Korea Times, published 2012.10.18)
Report on Hangul education in Baubau (Newsis, published 2025.09.11) -
Northern Thailand Lahu written in Hangul taught - 1994, stopped in 2001 or 2003Report on Hangul education for the Lahu (Seoul Shinmun, published 2010.10.08)
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La Paz, Bolivia Pilot Hangul classes for Aymara - 2010Report on Aymara Hangul classes in Bolivia (Segye Ilbo, published 2011.04.25)
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Solomon Islands Pilot Hangul classes in Guadalcanal and Malaita - 2012, stopped within a yearA case study: the Solomon Islands project 10 years ago (Asia News Network, published 2023)
유의사항
Each year is the first year Hangul use is documented in that si or gun, not the first year it was used. Places without surviving records are colored later than reality.
The map uses present-day si and gun boundaries. Where a Joseon county spanned several present units, all of them take the same year, and that territorial mapping is an estimate.
Temple and provincial office editions are dated by place of printing, which does not by itself show that local residents used Hangul.
Annals entries on distributing or posting texts show that Hangul documents were sent to a county, not how widely residents used them.
Sources disagree on where King Seonjo's proclamation was written: Haeju (National Institute of Korean History) or Uiju (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture). Gimhae is where it was used, not where it was written.
Many modern school and church records are indirect evidence without confirmed Korean-language teaching, especially in North Korea from 1895 to 1912.
"九月上澣" means the first ten days of the 9th lunar month. October 9 is its last day, lunar 9.10, converted to the Julian calendar.
The National Archives of Korea chronology dates the move to October 9 to 1940. Many news reports give 1945.
Removal from public holidays was decided in November 1990 and applied from 1991. The 2013 return was decided in late 2012 and applied from 2013.
The added-stroke row in the video (ㅇ, ㆆ, ㅎ) follows the Haerye order. The Haerye lists ㆁ ㄹ ㅿ separately as variant letters, not as added strokes.
ㆍ ㆆ ㅿ ㆁ are no longer used. This is why 28 letters in 1446 became 24 today.
The speech organ drawing is simplified for clarity and is not anatomically exact.
Yanbian's "Korean first" rule was weakened in practice by the 2022 signage rules and the law in force from July 2026. The video shows its status under the regulation.
Cia-Cia Hangul is used in local school subjects in Baubau. It is not an official script set by the Indonesian government.
The overseas maps color only places where local citizens or special groups such as Koryo-saram, Chinese Koreans and Sakhalin Koreans used Hangul in institutions, not Korean emigrants.
Each year is the first year Hangul use is documented in that si or gun, not the first year it was used. Places without surviving records are colored later than reality.
The map uses present-day si and gun boundaries. Where a Joseon county spanned several present units, all of them take the same year, and that territorial mapping is an estimate.
Temple and provincial office editions are dated by place of printing, which does not by itself show that local residents used Hangul.
Annals entries on distributing or posting texts show that Hangul documents were sent to a county, not how widely residents used them.
Sources disagree on where King Seonjo's proclamation was written: Haeju (National Institute of Korean History) or Uiju (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture). Gimhae is where it was used, not where it was written.
Many modern school and church records are indirect evidence without confirmed Korean-language teaching, especially in North Korea from 1895 to 1912.
"九月上澣" means the first ten days of the 9th lunar month. October 9 is its last day, lunar 9.10, converted to the Julian calendar.
The National Archives of Korea chronology dates the move to October 9 to 1940. Many news reports give 1945.
Removal from public holidays was decided in November 1990 and applied from 1991. The 2013 return was decided in late 2012 and applied from 2013.
The added-stroke row in the video (ㅇ, ㆆ, ㅎ) follows the Haerye order. The Haerye lists ㆁ ㄹ ㅿ separately as variant letters, not as added strokes.
ㆍ ㆆ ㅿ ㆁ are no longer used. This is why 28 letters in 1446 became 24 today.
The speech organ drawing is simplified for clarity and is not anatomically exact.
Yanbian's "Korean first" rule was weakened in practice by the 2022 signage rules and the law in force from July 2026. The video shows its status under the regulation.
Cia-Cia Hangul is used in local school subjects in Baubau. It is not an official script set by the Indonesian government.
The overseas maps color only places where local citizens or special groups such as Koryo-saram, Chinese Koreans and Sakhalin Koreans used Hangul in institutions, not Korean emigrants.