Restoration of the First Modern Korean Phonology Book 'Mal-ui Sori'

National Archives Provides Customized Restoration and Duplication Services on the 574th Hangeul Day Anniversary

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The National Archives announced on the 7th that it has successfully restored "Mal-ui Sori," the first modern Korean phonology book held by the Hangul Society, in celebration of the 574th Hangeul Day on the 9th.

"Mal-ui Sori" is the last work of the Hangul scholar Ju Si-gyeong (1876?1914), who promoted national consciousness through the study and dissemination of Hangul during the Japanese colonial period. Published in 1914, it is Korea's first modern Korean phonology book.

The book consists of a total of 72 pages including the cover, composed of the main text and an appendix. Except for the appendix, the entire main text is written in pure Hangul. The main text covers the nature of sounds, classification and arrangement of consonants and vowels, consonant alternations, combinations of consonants and vowels, syllables, etc., with detailed explanations, examples, and references for each section.

The appendix contains the prefaces of "Hunminjeongeum" and "Yongbieocheonga," as well as examples of horizontal writing in Korean. Additionally, traces of silk-wrapped corners (pogak) in blue silk were found at the top and bottom of the book cover, indicating the use of the four-needle binding method (sachimanjeongbeop), a technique where holes (chiman) are made for sewing during the bookbinding process.

This restoration project was initiated in May when the Hangul Society applied for the National Archives' "customized restoration and reproduction service," and was completed after about three months of restoration processing. At the time of application, the book was severely damaged due to over 100 years of poor preservation conditions, including paper brittleness, discoloration, stains, contamination, and tears.

Accordingly, during the restoration process, the National Archives removed contaminants using a wet cleaning method, reinforced torn areas and missing parts with high-quality hanji paper, and repaired the damaged silk of the pogak with silk of the same color and thickness as the original to enhance preservation.

Furthermore, high-resolution scanning was conducted to separately produce digital copies for online services and replicas for exhibition purposes.

The National Archives delivered the restored original, replicas, and digital copies of "Mal-ui Sori" to the Hangul Society, and the original text will be made available on the Hangul Society's website, where it is held.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.