Hangul Day may become national holiday

About 30 National Assemblymen, including Rep. Shin Ki-Nam of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, are seeking to upgrade Hangul Day, the holiday commemorating the Korean alphabet, to a national holiday.

Hangul Day has been observed to commemorate the promulgation of Hangul by King Sejong of the Choson Kingdom on Oct. 9, 1445.

Lawmakers both from the ruling and opposition parties are planning to submit a revision bill of the National Holiday Law to that effect to the ongoing regular session of the Assembly.

About 30 lawmakers signed the amendment as of Sept 27, Rep. Shin said.

¡°The creation of the alphabet has a similar symbolic nature like the foundation of a nation,¡± Shin said. ¡°Because Hangul is the cauldron of the national culture, the Hangul Day should be promoted to a national holiday.''