Produced in collaboration with the National Hangul Museum, the medals feature the Hunminjeongeum Eonhaebon and a hangul syllable chart
Gold and silver editions limited to 600 pieces total, available through the Korea Minting Corp. online shop
![Commemorative medals marking the 100th anniversary of Hangul Day [Korea Minting Corp.]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/30/news-p.v1.20260930.fbcde4749c5c4a80b79564851722dc9b_P1.jpeg)
The Korea Minting and Security Printing Corp. has released a limited-edition commemorative medal marking the 100th anniversary of Hangul Day. The gold and silver medals incorporate historical materials related to King Sejong and the Korean writing system and will be produced in a combined run of just 600 pieces.
The corporation said Tuesday it began selling the Hangul Day centenary commemorative medals — produced in collaboration with the National Hangul Museum — on Tuesday.
The medals were conceived to mark 100 years since the Joseon Language Research Society designated "Gagya Day," the precursor to Hangul Day, in 1926. Designs draw on materials held in the National Hangul Museum's collection to reflect the history and cultural significance of the Korean alphabet.
The obverse of each medal features a portrait of King Sejong alongside text from the Hunminjeongeum Eonhaebon, a vernacular Korean rendering of the Hunminjeongeum. The Eonhaebon has been preserved as part of the first volume of "Worinseokbo," a Buddhist text published in 1459.
The reverse draws on a hangul syllable chart — known also as a "banjjeol table" — that arranges characters formed by combining Korean consonants and vowels. Used in the 19th century to teach and spread the use of hangul, the chart paired each syllable with an illustration of a word beginning with that sound, such as a crab ("gae") for "ga" and a butterfly ("nabi") for "na," making the alphabet easier to learn.
The medals are available in two varieties, both struck in 99.9 percent pure metal. The gold medal measures 32 millimeters in diameter, weighs 15.55 grams and is limited to 100 pieces. The silver medal measures 40 millimeters in diameter, weighs 31.1 grams and is limited to 500 pieces. Each comes with a certificate of authenticity from the corporation and a dedicated case featuring an image of the hangul syllable chart.
The medals are available through the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corp.'s online shop. They will also be featured at a special exhibition marking the centenary of Hangul Day — titled "Ilgu Iryuk Muhan Iryuk" — running from Friday through Feb. 9 next year on the third floor of the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History.
"We designed these commemorative medals so that people can reflect on the history of our language and script and cherish the value of hangul culture for years to come," said Seong Chang-hun, president of the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corp.
fact0514@heraldcorp.com
