Korean is an East Asian language spoken by about 75 million people. It is the official and national language of North Korea and South Korea, with different standardized official forms used in each country. The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, is made up of 14 consonants and 10 vowels.
Chinese writing has been known in Korea for over 2,000 years. Because during the Chinese occupation of northern Korea from 108 BC to 313 AD The Koreans borrowed a lot of Chinese words. The Korean alphabet was invented in 1444 and promulgated in 1446 during the reign of King Sejong the Great (r 1418–1450), the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty.
The alphabet was originally called Hunminjeongeum, or "Proper sounds to instruct the people", The modern name for the alphabet, Hangul, was coined by a Korean linguist called Ju Si-gyeong (1876-1914). The shapes of the consonants are based on the shape of the mouth made when the corresponding sound is made.
Even after the invention of the Korean alphabet, most Koreans who could write continued to use Classical Chinese During the 19th and 20th centuries, before a mixed writing system combining Chinese characters (Hanja) and Hangul became popular.
Since 1945 however, the importance of Chinese characters in Korean writing has diminished significantly. In South Korea school children are expected to learn 1,800 hanja by the end of high school.