In 2019, the Central Bank of DPR Korea issued a silver commemorative coin to mark the 575th Anniversary of Hunminjongum.
Carved on the central front of the coin are the image of the Alphabet of Hunminjongum and the letters “575th Anniversary of Hunminjongum” (훈민정음창제 575돐). On the lower part of the front are letters reading “Hunminjongum”.
On the central back of the coin is the national emblem of the DPRK. Seen in the upper part of the back are the letters “The Central Bank of the DPRK” (조선민주주의인민공화국중앙은행) and in its lower part are the degree of purity, weight, face value and minting year.
The face value of the silver coin is 20 won.
The size of the silver coin is 40 mm in diameter and 3 mm in thickness.
The silver coin contains 31g of 999 silver.
Its mintage is 500 pieces.
Here is an introduction to the Hunminjongum,
Hunminjongum – Korean Alphabet
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) — It is 578 years since Hunminjongum (native Korean Alphabet) was created.
Hunminjongum came into being in January 1444 (lunar December 1443) by the then excellent scholars including Jong Rin Ji and Song Sam Mun.
At that time it was composed of 28 letters with 17 consonants and 11 vowels.
Sejong Sillok (Chronicles of King Sejong), compiled in 1454, reads “This month … 28 letters have been made … this alphabet is called Hunminjongum.”
Hunminjongum has various advantages.
Its basic letters were modeled on the looks of speech organs such as tongue, lips and throat. Strokes were added to them and two or three letters were mixed together in a systemic way according to the features of their sound. It is one of the advantages of Hunminjongum that it is easy to learn and write.
The creation of Hunminjongum made it possible to standardize the language of the Korean nation and ensure the unity in the ensuing linguistic life.
Hunminjongum, born of the creative wisdom and talents of the Korean nation, takes an outstanding position in developing the world’s alphabet, too.
Its creation principle was registered as a part of the national intangible cultural heritage in Juche 106 (2017).
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