A brief history of the Korean language in about 500 words part 2

The history of the Korean language begins with the development of culture and language among various tribes on the ancient Korean Peninsula. During ancient times, the peninsula was divided into several kingdoms, including the Three Kingdoms period and the kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, each with its own language and culture. Buddhism was introduced during the Silla Dynasty, leading to the translation of Buddhist scriptures and the spread of Buddhist culture, which influenced the development of the Korean language.

In the medieval period, kingdoms such as Goryeo and Joseon flourished, and Chinese characters became prevalent. Chinese characters were used in documents and official records alongside the Korean language. However, Chinese characters were difficult for the common people to understand, prompting the creation and promotion of Hangul, a phonetic script. In the 15th century, King Sejong of Korea established Hangul to create an easy-to-use and unique script for the common people.

In modern times, Japanese colonization and forced Japanese language education during the 20th century Japanese rule influenced the development of the Korean language. However, Korea gained independence from Japan in 1945, and Hangul education was promoted, restoring the status of the Korean language.

Modern Korean is characterized by the widespread use of Hangul and its establishment as the primary language of education. Additionally, the Korean language's popularity has increased worldwide due to the Korean Wave phenomenon and Korea's economic growth.