A large majority of South Koreans support the designation of Hangeul (Korean alphabet) Day as a public holiday, according to a recent poll by the Culture Ministry.

The ministry said Monday a recent survey showed 83.6 percent of respondents support Hangeul Day being a public holiday, higher than in previous surveys in 2009 when 68.8 percent supported the idea and 76.3 percent in 2011.

Professional polling agency Research & Research conducted the survey for the ministry through telephone interviews of 1,000 adults between April 13 and 15 on the occasion of the 615th anniversary of the birth of King Sejong the Great, the fourth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) who invented and proclaimed the Korean alphabet in the 15th century.

Of those polled, 57.5 percent thought Hangeul Day more important than other commemorative days such as Constitution Day (15.4 percent), Arbor Day (12.2 percent) and Armed Forces Day (8.2 percent).

However, more people did not know the exact date of Hangeul Day than in previous surveys. Only 64 percent of respondents know the specific date, down from 88.1 percent in 2009.

Hangeul Day is observed on Oct. 9 to mark the invention and proclamation of the Korean alphabet in 1446.

The holiday was launched in 1924 in an effort to preserve the Korean alphabet under Japanese colonial rule of Korea (1910-1945), during which Japanese was the country‘s official language.

Hangeul Day was designated an official holiday in 1949, four years after South Korea was liberated from the Japanese rule.

It was excluded from the list of public holidays in 1990 on the grounds there were too many holidays, which would have an adverse impact on the national economy. Hangeul Day regained its status as a national day of celebration in 2005, but is not a legal holiday. 

(Yonhap News)