Oldest Korean-letter metal type blocks from King Sejong's reign are found

[soryang]

Posted June. 30, 2021 07:27,

The Cultural Heritage Administration revealed over 1,000 Chinese-character metal type blocks and 600 Korean-letter ones excavated last year from Insa-dong, Jongno, Seoul at a press conference held at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno, Seoul on Tuesday. Some of the Chinese-character metal type blocks are believed to be Gapin-letter type created in 1434 under King Sejong. Until the recent discovery, Eulhae-letter type produced in 1455 held the record of the oldest metal type blocks found. Once four or five Gapin-letter type blocks are confirmed through further research, they would be the first metal type blocks created under King Sejong’s reign from 1418 to 1450 and also earlier than Gutenberg’s printing press.

https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20210630/2759125/1/Oldest-Korean-letter-metal-type-blocks-from-King-Sejong-s-reign-are-found

There are 24 basic characters and a total of 40 characters including the basic 24 to form the representation of each distinct sound in the language.

https://blog.udemy.com/korean-letters/


King Sejong's alphabet included 4 characters that are no longer used. The initial publication of hangeul was published in the Hunmin Jeongeum (훈민정음, the proper sounds for instructing the people). The use of hangul eliminated the dependence on traditional Chinese characters for written communication.*

*King Sejong: The Inventor of Hangul and More!
By Gene Aw - 22 August 2019

https://gogohanguk.com/en/blog/king-sejong-hangul/

The link below has pictures of the metal blocks, the archeological dig at Insa dong, Seoul where they were found, and some other valuable artifacts found at the site. ( As far as the pieces of the water clock and astrological clock found at the site, one has to wonder whether Jang Yeong-sil, the famous inventor who worked for King Sejong actually handled these objects at some point.)

Metal type blocks, scientific relics from 15th-16th centuries discovered June 29 Yonhap News
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210629005700315

A fictionalized account of Sejong's court during this period is the Kdrama A Tree with Deep Roots which included the development of hangul as a plot device.

[FM123]

1. Fascinating!