▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Oct. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Friday hailed the Korean writing system -- Hangeul -- as the "face" of the country as he marked the 100th anniversary of Hangeul Day.

"Writing is the face of the country and language is its heart," Lee wrote on Facebook, using South Korea's official name. "The strength of our language and writing is the competitiveness of the Republic of Korea."

Hangeul was invented by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in 1443 and promulgated three years later to augment the existing writing system based on the Chinese script.

Hangeul Day was established in 1926 by the Korean Language Society as Koreans sought to preserve their language and writing system under the brutal 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule of Korea.

"A century ago, our ancestors devoted all their efforts to preserve our language and writing system," Lee wrote. "It was a determination that even though they had lost their country, they could not lose our spirit and identity."

Lee said the writing system is now learned by people across the world, noting that King Sejong Institute, which teaches Korean language overseas, has expanded to 89 countries since it first launched in 2007.

"While the past century was a time to protect Hangeul and for it to take root in our lives, the next century will be a time to expand its possibilities."

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]