Uiseong Elementary Students Mark Hangeul Day with Writing That Critiques AI Information Bias

Writing that shakes apart the information AI picks out for us. Uiseong elementary students took on that challenge for the 580th Hangeul Day. Doriwon Elementary School in Uiseong (Principal Shin Jong-hun) announced on the 9th that it had held grade-level Hangeul education programs for all 50 students from the 6th to the 8th to commemorate the 580th Hangeul Day.

During the 'Hangeul Forum of Ideas,' held in Korean language classes on the 6th and 7th, students engaged in reading and writing activities tailored to their grade levels. Twenty-one fifth and sixth graders read an article on the 'filter bubble' phenomenon, in which AI recommendation algorithms repeatedly show users only information matching their interests. The students summarized the article's main argument in 100 characters and wrote essays opposing a hypothetical proposal to have the school website recommend only celebrity and gaming news.

Seventeen third and fourth graders explored the meanings of words like 'chi-bu' (humiliation), 'eung-su' (response), and 'do-ryang' (magnanimity) through context, using an anecdote about Maeng Sa-seong, a renowned incorruptible official of the Joseon Dynasty. Twelve first and second graders practiced proper handwriting by copying into their notebooks a story about 'Doto,' a baby squirrel afraid of climbing tall trees who learns to find courage.

On the 8th, all students gathered at Dowon Hall, the school auditorium, for a quiz covering the purpose behind the creation of Hangeul, its letter-design principles, native Korean words and regional dialects, and linguistic differences between South and North Korea. Fifth and sixth graders also took part in a separate Korean-language competition.