Statue of King Sejong the Great

A gilded bronze monument to the fourth Joseon king, unveiled in 2009 at the heart of Gwanghwamun Square. Sejong is revered for commissioning Hangul, the phonetic Korean script, and the statue depicts him seated with a book, flanked by models of scientific instruments developed during his reign such as a rain gauge and sundial. The pedestal contains an entrance leading to an underground exhibition on his cultural and scientific legacy. It is one of the most photographed civic landmarks in the capital.