Short answer: While in reading, 1) verbalizing itself may be easier with the alphabetic han'gul, 2) getting the meaning in all its precision and evocative force of the languge is greatly diminished by not having hanja 漢字. Maybe it gives the appearance of ease without the 漢字, but I don't think even the younger generation with less 漢字 knowledge will appreciate this in the long run. My son has been taking private lessons in 漢字 to be prepared for the more 漢字 oriented culture, but in reality it has never never disappeared. The ignorant crowd don't care either way because they don't read, but slogans of "pure han'gul" usage has some superficial appeal to them.
Long answer: The Korean "experiment of purging" the language of all foreign influence has been futile and damaging in my opinion. In South Korea there were 4 phases to the purge pushed by the nationalists and purist linguists.
1. 1945-1964: 漢字倂用 1,000 Hanja's within parathenses or superscribed
2. 1964-1970: 漢字一部混用 1,300 Hanja's within parathenses, in grades 4-12
3. 1970-1975: 漢字除去 None; exceptions are Classical Korean/Chinese textbooks
4. 1975-present: 漢字部分倂用 1,800 Basic Hanja's in grades 7-12
In a poll of 2,000 Koreans adults above the age of 20 conducted by Gallup Inst. Korea in 1988 indicated that 70.9% Koreans believed that 漢字 is best taught in the elementary (primary) schools. Beginning in the late 1980's under the pressure of political activists and purists, newpapers and non-acedemic publications started to do without all 漢字's, and today none of the newspapers and many books and periodicals do not have any Hanja.
The result of this social experiment has had damaging effects on literacy and composition in people of vaious age groups due to the ever changing hanja policy 漢字政策. North Korea (DPRK) had abolished hanja education in 1945, but restored it in 1964 because of the damage to literacy. You can see a sample page of DPRK's
12th grade (中學 5年級) textbook in physical geogrpahy, and another sample page from DPRK's
漢文敎科書, Pyong'yang, 1969.
In my case, I find the newpapers and non-hanja publications an annoyance when it comes to accuracy. When my reading concerns history, geography, religion, or just about any topic employing above-every day vocabulary, not having 漢字 is a hindrance and the cause of delay and undue waste of effort when I am looking for the exact, corresponding 漢字. The 1992 announcement of deregularizing 漢字 education therefore came as a welcome, and many young children the 2nd grade are taking extracurricular 漢字 classes. I hope this change continues in the positive direction of incorporating 漢字 as a regular subject of instruction in the elementary schools as in Japan.