The 85th Societas Koreana Lecture Meeting was held in the AKS Culture Center conference room on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Professor emeritus Albrecht Huwe (University of Bonn, Germany) presented a lecture titled “Hunmin Chŏngŭm / Han‘gŭl & IT – About the Particular Importance of Korean Script for Korean People and Culture.” Due to the spread of COVID-19, the lecture was given without an audience and videos were produced separately.

Professor Albrecht Huwe received a PhD in Korean and Chinese studies from Bochum University in Germany. He is an expert on Hangeul, having researched it for the past 47 years, and is currently professor emeritus at the University of Bonn. In 2010, he published a research paper titled “Hangeul and Computers: Finding the Secrets to the Korean Alphabet” in German. Nine years later, he published “Hangeul with Wings” in Korean.

In his lecture, Dr. Huwe spoke about the importance of Hangeul to Koreans and in Korean culture. He first explained the historical background and purpose behind the creation of Hunmin Chŏngŭm and introduced the development of Hangeul. Then, he emphasized the fact that Hangeul is a scientific alphabet based on Yin-Yang and the five elements theory. The lecture marked the 475th anniversary of the creation of Hunmin Chŏngŭm and was held to commemorate King Sejong’s love for his people and to help remember the Korean people’s history. Additionally, we look forward to possible developments in various academic fields through the combination IT and interest in Hangeul, which has been recognized worldwide for its excellence and scientific qualities.

The lecture and interviews with the speaker can be accessed via the link below.
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