Reports said that at the Chinese Character Museum in Anyang, China, Hangul is being displayed as if it were one of the scripts used by China's ethnic minorities. Not only was the year of King Sejong's creation of Hangul written incorrectly, but the English explanation was also wrong, sparking controversy over a "bogus" exhibition.
On the 10th, Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, said on his social media (SNS), "I learned about it from a tip by a netizen. After a detailed review, we found many errors in the Hangul section displayed in the ethnic minority exhibition hall on the second floor of the museum," sharing this account.
In the photos Professor Seo posted with it, the title calls Hangul "Joseonmun (朝鮮文)," and the English translation mislabels it as "Korean" instead of "Korean alphabet." It also introduces the year King Sejong created Hangul as "January 1444." The year of Hangul's creation is December 1443.
Professor Seo noted, "Above all, the biggest problem is that our Hangul is being displayed as if it were one of the scripts of China's various ethnic minorities," adding, "China has insisted that because ethnic Koreans wear hanbok and eat kimchi, hanbok and kimchi are part of China's traditional culture."
He continued, "Judging from this introduction to Hangul at the Chinese Character Museum, it now seems obvious they will force the claim that even Hangul is part of Chinese culture," expressing concern. He also urged, "Korean government agencies must lodge a protest with the Chinese Character Museum, a national-level museum, and correct the errors without fail."