King Sejong, who ruled Joseon from 1418 to 1450, is best known for overseeing the creation of Hangeul, but his reign was also marked by efforts to expand scientific knowledge and make practical information more accessible.
His government supported work on astronomical instruments, clocks and rainfall measurement, while scholars compiled Nongsa jikseol, an agricultural manual based on farming conditions in Korea. Sejong also strengthened the Hall of Worthies, a royal research institution whose scholars worked on language, history, science and state affairs.
Hangeul remains his most enduring legacy. The script was intended to give people who could not master classical Chinese a more accessible way to read and write their own language.
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