| ''Hangul'' is the chief writing system employed in Korea. Devised by [[King Sejong]] in the 15th century, it uses consonant and vowel elements which combine to form syllabic characters. Traditionally used alongside [[Kanji|Chinese characters]] (K: ''hanja''), in recent times Korea has largely turned to using ''hangul'' almost exclusively. | | ''Hangul'' is the chief writing system employed in Korea. Devised by [[King Sejong]] in the 15th century, it uses consonant and vowel elements which combine to form syllabic characters. Traditionally used alongside [[Kanji|Chinese characters]] (K: ''hanja''), in recent times Korea has largely turned to using ''hangul'' almost exclusively. |
− | ''Hangul'' is said to have been introduced in [[1443]], but ''[[Hunminjeongeum]]'', a book organized by King Sejong which formally describes and explains the writing system, was published three years later. Meanwhile, in [[1445]], Sejong released an epic entitled "Songs of Flying Dragons" (K: ''Yongbi Eocheonga''), which describes the founding of the [[Joseon Dynasty]] in five books (ten volumes, 125 chapters), in both ''hangul'' and ''hanja''. | + | ''Hangul'' was first developed in [[1443]], but ''[[Hunminjeongeum]]'', a book organized by King Sejong which formally describes and explains the writing system, went through three years of further testing and improvements before being published three years later. Meanwhile, in [[1445]], Sejong released an epic entitled "Songs of Flying Dragons" (K: ''Yongbi Eocheonga''), which describes the founding of the [[Joseon Dynasty]] in five books (ten volumes, 125 chapters), in both ''hangul'' and ''hanja''. |