The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday it will hold a public debate on the Gwanghwamun gate plaque at 2 p.m. on March 31 at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The ministry added that any interested member of the public may attend.
The debate is intended to gather public opinion on the proposal to install an additional Hangeul plaque on Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Minister Choi Hwi-young first raised the idea at a Cabinet meeting on January 20. The proposal calls for adding a Hangeul plaque alongside the existing classical Chinese character plaque, bringing the total to two.
Lee Geon-beom, head of the Hangeul Culture Solidarity, and Choi Jong-deok, former director of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, will deliver keynote presentations at the debate. Yang Hyun-mi, a professor of culture and arts management at Sangmyung University, will moderate the discussion. Panelists include Kim Kwon-jeong, a curator at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History; Kim Ju-won, president of the Korean Language Society; Lee Gang-min, a professor of architecture at the Korea National University of Arts; Hong Seok-ju, a professor of architecture at Seoil University; and Kim Hyung-woo, head of the Korean Peninsula Culture and Tourism Research Institute.
The ministry said the debate marks the beginning of an ongoing process to collect opinions and hold discussions on the proposed addition of a Hangeul plaque. It plans to open a public comment board on the ministry's website in early April and conduct both an expert opinion survey and a public poll.
At the Cabinet meeting in January, which was broadcast live, Minister Choi reported the proposal to President Lee Jae-myung. The plan aims to "respect Gwanghwamun's historical significance while also reflecting its modern symbolism" by keeping the existing Chinese character plaque and adding a Hangeul plaque.
At the time, the ministry cited a "public awareness survey on the Gwanghwamun plaque," claiming that as of June 2024, "61.9% supported Hangeul while 38.1% opposed it," but did not present detailed data. While Hangeul-related organizations have been actively pushing for the installation, considerable opposition reportedly exists from bodies including the Korea Heritage Service, the agency overseeing Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun. Under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, an attempt to replace the current Chinese character plaque entirely with a Hangeul plaque was abandoned.
"Gwanghwamun is a space where history and the future coexist, and it is a landmark that symbolizes the Republic of Korea. We need to consider together what form best suits it," Minister Choi said, according to the ministry. "The government will listen broadly to various opinions with an open mind and, through sufficient deliberation and consensus-building, develop a plan that the public can embrace."