Public to weigh in on adding hangul to Gwanghwamun gate plaque

The government will seek public input on whether to add a hangul inscription alongside the existing hanja nameplate on Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Tuesday that they will host a cross-ministry public policy forum called "Everyone's Forum" on July 26 at Yonsei University in Seoul, with the addition of a hangul nameplate to Gwanghwamun as the central topic.

The forum was organized to allow in-depth public deliberation on the proposal to install a hangul nameplate alongside the existing hanja one, taking into account the gate's historical significance, cultural value and the symbolic importance of hangul.

About 200 members of the public, along with officials from relevant agencies and subject-matter experts, will gather to debate whether Gwanghwamun should be treated as a national symbolic space that can reflect contemporary values or preserved as a cultural heritage site in its original form. The event will feature expert presentations, panel discussions and small-group deliberations open to public participants.

The forum runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 26 at Baengyang Nuri Hall at Yonsei University and is open to all members of the public. Those wishing to attend may apply through the Culture Ministry or Interior Ministry websites, or through the public online civic-engagement platform "Sotong Hyeoksin 24," from Tuesday through July 14.

The Gwanghwamun nameplate was originally a hanja inscription written by Im Tae-yeong during the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung in 1868, but it was destroyed by fire during the Korean War. In 1968, former President Park Chung-hee restored it with a hangul nameplate in his own handwriting. It was later replaced in 2010 with a hanja version reproducing Im's calligraphy, and in 2023 the current nameplate — hanja characters in gold on a black background — was installed.

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-yeong said Gwanghwamun is both a cultural heritage site and a symbolic national space, and that hangul is a precious asset reflecting South Korea's cultural pride. He expressed hope that the forum would serve as a meaningful occasion to gather broader public opinion and build consensus, noting that this year marks the 100th anniversary of "Gagya Day," the precursor to Hangul Day.

Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung described "Everyone's Forum" as a new form of public deliberation introduced by the people's sovereignty government to ensure that policies closely tied to citizens' lives are shaped by their direct experiences and voices. He urged wide public participation in what he called the first "Everyone's Forum" convened to decide the future of the nameplate on Gwanghwamun, a symbolic national landmark.