Citizens and experts gathered to discuss whether to implement bilingual signage at Gwanghwamun. Participants agreed that sufficient social consensus and deliberation are necessary before making a decision.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on July 27 that they held the first public deliberation forum, titled 'Everyone's Debate,' on July 26 to discuss the bilingual signage at Gwanghwamun.
'Everyone's Debate' is a public forum designed for citizens, as policy stakeholders, to directly participate in the policy-making process, share diverse opinions, and seek policy directions based on social consensus.
The forum took place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It began with a comprehensive presentation by Lee Sang-yeol, director of the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, followed by key opinions from Park Hyun-mo, director of the Sejong Institute, and Kim Hyun-kyung, a professor at the Korea National University of Arts.
In the afternoon, a panel discussion was held, moderated by Professor Yang Hyun-mi of Sangmyung University, featuring Jeong Jae-hwan, co-representative of the Hangul Culture Alliance, and Bae Woong-kyu, a professor at Chung-Ang University. Additionally, 200 citizens participated in on-site discussions, with small group discussions taking place twice throughout the day.
Participants engaged in heated discussions about the significance and symbolism of Gwanghwamun, as well as principles of cultural heritage preservation. Overall, there was a cautious consensus that sufficient social agreement and deliberation should precede any decision on bilingual signage.
Even among those in favor of bilingual signage, there were stipulations that a national consensus must be formed, and detailed criteria regarding font, placement, and installation methods should be established first. Conversely, those advocating for preservation of the original form suggested alternatives to promote the value of Hangul through digital content, exhibitions, and cultural events instead of bilingual signage. A survey conducted before and after the discussions showed that opinions were nearly evenly split, with little change in responses.
Yoon Ho-jung, an official from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, 'This inaugural 'Everyone's Debate' is a new attempt to practice the principle of popular sovereignty in the policy-making process.' He added, 'The Ministry will develop 'Everyone's Debate' into a representative public platform for discussing, deliberating, and creating policies with the citizens.'
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young remarked, 'This forum was a valuable opportunity to share ongoing discussions about the Gwanghwamun signage directly with the public.' He noted that the Ministry plans to carefully consider the opinions expressed both in-person and online to determine future policy directions.
Meanwhile, a second 'Everyone's Debate' is scheduled for August 29, focusing on 'Safe Use of Escalators.' The Ministry will publicly recruit 200 citizen participants, and those interested can apply from August 3 to 10 through the Ministry's website or the public online communication platform 'Communication Innovation 24.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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