Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at Sejong City Hall, April 23. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Sejong, the city named after the fourth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) and inventor of the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, is pursuing initiatives to establish itself as the global educational hub of the Korean alphabet and language.

"Hangeul and the Korean language are gaining popularity among foreigners due to the rising popularity of Korean culture. We shouldn't just stop but must take action to elevate their stature, potentially making Korean an international official language in the future," Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho said during an interview with The Korea Times at his office, April 23.

Choi emphasized that Hangeul is at the core of Sejong's identity, asserting that the city must spearhead programs related to the alphabet and the Korean language accordingly.

As part of efforts to promote the recognition of Hangeul, the mayor proposed hosting a spelling contest for elementary school students to cultivate interest in Hangeul and encourage greater accuracy in using the native alphabet among young students.

"The United States puts significant effort into promoting English, even though it's already recognized as an international language," Choi said. "Korea should also focus on promoting Hangeul and the Korean language, which form the basis of Korean culture."

Taking inspiration from the annual national spelling bee hosted in the U.S., he plans to organize a similar contest with a presidential prize awarded to the top winner. This initiative aims to enhance public awareness and generate broader interest in Hangeul and its usage.

In the U.S. National Spelling Bee, the U.S. president invites the first prize winner to the White House for an award ceremony.

Furthermore, Choi envisions a Hangeul spelling contest for foreigners worldwide, aiming to promote the alphabet and language internationally.

"There are even Koreans overseas who can't speak Korean and read Hangeul," he said. "Including them, this contest will contribute to helping more foreigners learn Hangeul and Korean."

A statue of King Sejong, the fourth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty and inventor of Hangeul, is located in the middle of the library inside Sejong City Hall, April 23. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

He also emphasized the benefits for foreigners learning Korean, particularly in countries where Korean companies operate. He highlighted the growing demand for bilingual workers in these contexts.

"Due to communication problems, I found that (in such countries) people who are fluent in both Korean and the native language receive salaries two to three times higher due to the shortage of skilled bilingual personnel," Choi said.

"This highlights the growing importance of Korea in the international business sector."

Given the growing demand to learn Korean, the mayor said he also intends to establish an educational infrastructure dedicated to teaching Hangeul and the Korean language within the city. This includes setting up a training institute that offers courses for foreigners interested in learning Korean.

The institute will offer educational programs tailored for beginners and provide opportunities for in-depth research on the Korean language and alphabet in collaboration with local researchers.

"In the future, I aim to establish a system where foreigners with a genuine interest in Korean can obtain a certificate that internationally recognizes their proficiency if they complete the course at the training institute in the city," Choi said.

"It's time to acknowledge that Hangeul is not just for Koreans. We should strive to promote its international usage."