Hosted by the Sejong Institute of Korean Language and Culture, the forum provided a platform to discuss ways to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving the Korean language. Notably, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Hyungwon Kang, dedicated to the globalization of Korean cultural heritage, delivered a speech on the need to revive obsolete Hangeul letters. He emphasized historical and phonetic significance of forgotten words that are capable of writing any audible sounds.
Kang said Korean outdoor apparel company Youngone Corp. will release a lineup of T-shirts bearing old Korean letters that can help Koreans pronounce foreign words more accurately, in a few weeks.
Sejong City launched the forum in an effort to promote the use of Hangeul and safeguard their cultural value. The city, named after King Sejong the Great of the Joseon Dynasty who invented the Korean alphabet in the 15th century, has initiated a project to become the "epicenter of Hangeul."
