Postscript · Jeong In-ji

Limitations of Idu

    In ancient times, Seol Chong of Silla Dynasty(BC 57 ~ AD
    935) created Idu, a writing system that borrowed Hanja to
    represent native Korean words. Since then, it has been used
    in both government offices and civil society to express the
    Korean language.
    However, because Idu relies on Hanja, it is often awkward
    and cumbersome to use. The system is overly complicated
    and lacks a clear structure, leading to frequent
    miscommunication in practical language use.
    This complexity makes it difficult for people to express ideas
    smoothly or understand written texts with ease.
    Idu served a temporary purpose but ultimately failed to fully
    accommodate the unique sounds and syntax of Korean. This
    revealed the limitations of borrowing foreign characters to
    represent a native language.




    Epilogue                                                      249