About Teacher's Day
Teacher's Day is a national holiday in South Korea, observed on May 15th. This day is observed on King Sejong's Birthday. Sejong the Great was the fourth king of the Joseon dynasty in Korea, reigning from 1418 to 1450. The day commemorates King Sejong's achievements and May 15 is a day for all citizens to celebrate and honor together.
Teacher's Day was commemorated on May 26 as 'Teacher's Day' starting in 1964, but from 1965 onward, it was set as King Sejong's Birthday on May 15, with the meaning of aspiring to the true teachers of the nation led by teacher organizations.
Sejong the Great (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450)was the fourth monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He is regarded as the greatest ruler in Korean history, and is remembered as the inventor of Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language.
Initially titled Grand Prince Chungnyeong, he was the third son of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong. In 1418, Sejong replaced his eldest brother, Yi Che, as crown prince; a few months later, Taejong voluntarily abdicated the throne in Sejong's favor. In the early years of Sejong's reign, King Emeritus Taejong retained vast powers, most notably absolute executive and military power, and continued to govern until his death in 1422.
Sejong reinforced Korean Confucian and neo-Confucian policies, and enacted major legal amendments. He personally created and promulgated the Korean alphabet, encouraged advancements in science and technology, and introduced measures to stimulate economic growth. Sejong granted 130 days of maternity leave to female servants, and implemented a large-scale public opinion survey regarding the tax system for farmland.
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