Korea III :
가나다라마바사

Hangul is a writing system created so people could write the Korean they already spoke. In his preface to the Hunminjeongeum, King Sejong lamented the circumstances of people who could not fully express their thoughts through the writing available to them. In that beginning, we hear a concern for voices that had remained unheard. The script’s three original basic vowel letters—a dot for heaven (ㆍ), a horizontal line for earth (ㅡ), and a vertical line for an upright person (ㅣ)—reflect the philosophy of Cheon-Ji-In, which brings heaven, earth, and humanity together. Consonants and vowels join to form written syllables that carry a person’s words. On Hangul Day, these letters invite us to reflect on a value within Korea’s cultural inheritance that we must continue to carry forward: connection, sustained by listening to one another and caring for the bonds between us.

That concern for another person’s voice finds echoes throughout Korean life. Jeong, the affection that grows through shared life, is captured in the old saying about sharing even half a bean. It remains in familiar greetings such as “Have you eaten?” and “Let’s eat together sometime”—expressions of interest and affection toward another person. Hyo connects generations through respect and care for our parents and elders. Arirang, passed down in many melodies and verses, has become a communal song through which people share life’s joys and sorrows and endure hardship together. These traditions have different forms and origins, yet we can read them together as expressions of a desire to remain connected.

Korea has endured colonial rule that suppressed our language and writing, war, and the tragedy of division that continues to this day. The freedom South Korea enjoys today is a precious inheritance, won and preserved through the sacrifices and efforts of countless people. One source of strength through those difficult years was solidarity among family, friends, neighbors, and the wider community.

Living in the freedom we have inherited, we must consider whether the care expressed in these traditions still finds a place in our lives today. We must examine what we say to those beside us, how closely we listen, and how we care for them. These bonds are sustained by the choices we make each day. By listening, sharing, and caring in our daily lives, we seek to pass these bonds on to the next generation.