VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea), in partnership with the King Sejong Memorial Foundation, has launched a campaign to commemorate the first official year of “King Sejong’s Birth Anniversary” as a national commemoration day. The campaign reintroduces King Sejong not only as a monarch but as “a teacher for all people,” highlighting his vision of literacy, equality, and knowledge-sharing through the creation of Hangul.
King Sejong’s contributions go far beyond inventing Hangul. He advanced science and technology by developing tools such as the Cheugugi (rain gauge) and Angbuilgu (sundial), and compiled key texts like “Nongsajikseol” and “Yongbieocheonga” to improve governance and daily life. Today, Hangul is praised globally for its scientific design, with figures like Nobel laureate Le Clézio and Dr. Homer Hulbert recognizing its excellence.
To celebrate his 628th birthday, VANK released a modern campaign poster, inspired by “idol birthday billboards,” carrying the message:
“If we call those who teach us Hangul our teachers, isn’t King Sejong, who created Hangul, the teacher of us all?”
The poster and 14 themed Instagram stickers are available on VANK’s website and Flickr, allowing people to engage with the campaign digitally.
VANK Director Park Ki-tae emphasized that King Sejong’s spirit of benevolence, practicality, and communication forms the foundation of modern K-Culture and global cultural outreach. Through this campaign, VANK aims to inspire young Koreans to inherit King Sejong’s vision and promote Hangul and Korean culture worldwide.