FLAG OF NORTH KOREA: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY

The flag of North Korea is the national flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The national symbol of this Asian country is made up of three main stripes, colored blue, red and blue.

These sections are divided with small white stripes. On the left side of the red stripe there is a large white circle with a five-pointed star inside.

Flag of North Korea. (By Original: SKoppVector: Zscout370, via Wikimedia Commons).

Each blue strip uses 1/6 of the space of the flag. Instead, the big red stripe occupies 11/12 of the pavilion. Each small white dividing line represents 1/24 of the flag. Despite these specifications, the most prominent symbol of the North Korean flag is the circle with its star.

The communist system prevailing in North Korea is highly represented with the flag. This is mainly due to the presence of the red star. In addition, the blue color symbolizes sovereignty and peace, while red reflects revolutionary traditions. White is the representation of North Korean purity, strength and dignity.

This flag design has been in force uninterruptedly since 1948. Its modifications have been only with respect to dimensions.

History of the flag

North Korea has had a history marked by differentiation between characteristics of political systems. In principle, the entire Korean peninsula was unified under a monarchical regime. This remained in this way during the Japanese occupation.

After World War II, Korea became a scene of the Cold War. The peninsula was divided in two, awarding the north to the Soviet Union and the south to the United States. It was at this time that the flags of Korea separated and evolved in a different way.

Joseon dynasty

For Korea, having a flag was never a priority in the 19th century. Unlike other monarchies such as the Japanese or Chinese, the Korean did not need to present its own flag.

However, this became necessary with the arrival of international agreements. In 1876 Korea signed a treaty with Japan, a country that did have a flag. However, the government chose not to adopt a flag at that time.

In the early 1880s, the existence of a flag became a necessity. First, the proposal arose to adapt the flag of the Qing dynasty in China for Korea. Although alterations were made first, finally the government did not adopt any official flag.

Two years later, Korea and the United States signed the Shuefeldt treaty. Korean delegate Lee Eung-Jun presented a flag that was very similar to the Japanese standard.

Given that, Chinese representative Ma Jianzhong proposed to adopt a flag with a white cloth and a half red, half black circle in the center. In addition, the flag would include eight bars around the circle.

Taegukgi

This flag eventually became the Taegukgi. Its design corresponded to the Korean politician Park Yeong-hyo. Park became the first person to use the Korean flag in a foreign country - Japan. This new symbol was officially approved as the flag of Korea on January 27, 1883.

Its composition was finally presented as a white background banner with a central circle. This combines, in allusion to ying and yang, the colors red and blue. On the outside, there are three black bars in each corner.

Symbolism in the Taegukgi

The Taegukgi is presented as a symbol of balance. While red is identified with Yang, and therefore with the Sun, blue is with Um, the shadow.

On the lines there is also an opposition binary. The three solid lines in the upper left corner represent the sky. Instead, in the opposite corner the three divided lines are identified with the land.

The same happens with the lines in the lower right corner, which represent fire, and the lines in the opposite corner do the same with earth. Other meanings for the three lines have also come up. These are related to the seasons, family, virtues or values.

Taegugki (1882). (By UnknownUnknown author (최초 국기 는 어느 것?), Via Wikimedia Commons).

Korean empire

Korea has always been under the orbit of Japan and China. Having received constant threats and invasions, the Joseon dynasty opted for an isolationist regime.

However, in the late 19th century, this system weakened. The Japanese forced the Koreans to trade, leading to events such as the signing of the Treaty of Kanghwa in 1876.

The Joseons had trouble dealing with internal riots, especially with peasants. So they asked for help from the Chinese Qing dynasty to repel them. This generated the Japanese invasion and the development of the First Sino-Japanese War, which lasted between 1894 and 1895.

The conflict ended with a Japanese victory, which exerted its influence to the level of having killed Queen Min. Finally, in an attempt to safeguard Korean sovereignty, King Gojong declared himself Emperor and founded the Korean Empire in 1897.

This Empire promoted the Gwangmu Refoma, which aspired to the westernization and industrialization of Korea. However, the Korean Empire could not face the Japanese attacks. In 1905 a treaty was signed by which the peninsula became a Japanese protectorate and in 1910, the territory was officially annexed.

Korean Empire Flag

In this second stage of the Joseon dynasty, the Taegukgi remained the national flag. However, his style changed. This is because the center circle no longer occupies the largest area of the flag, leaving more room for the lines at each corner.

Flag of the Korean Empire (1887-1910). (By Lumia1234 (), via Wikimedia Commons) The only distinct flag in Korea in that period was the flag of the Resident General of Korea. This was the highest office in the Japanese protectorate. Its flag contained the Japanese insignia in the canton, while the rest of the cloth was blue. The flag lasted between 1905 and 1910.

Flag of the Resident General of Korea during the Japanese protectorate (1905-1910). (By Himasaram, via Wikimedia Commons).

Japanese occupation of Korea

Korea became part of Japan in 1910. The occupation involved the complete annexation of the territory. Therefore, the previous Korean symbols were removed from their official status.

The Japanese flag, called Himomaru, was flown on Korean territory throughout the colonizing period. In this way, Japanese dominance and Koreans' second-class citizenship were reflected.

Flag of Japan (Hinomaru). (By Various, via Wikimedia Commons).

Simultaneously, between 1919 and 1948, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was established in China. This government received the support of nationalist China, the Soviet Union and France.

Their flag was practically the same one used by the Korean Empire, but the orientation of the colors in the circle changed. At that time they were established more vertically.

Flag of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (1919-1948). (By Lumia1234 (), via Wikimedia Commons). The Japanese flag kept flying in the Korean airs until 1945. In this year the United States and the Soviet Union invaded the peninsula, deposing the Japanese colonial power. This military event took place within the framework of the Second World War, which defeated the Empire of Japan.

People's Republic of Korea

In Korea, the Soviets entered from the north, while the United States did the same from the south. Japan's surrender came on September 2, 1945, and on September 6, the People's Republic of Korea was founded. This state briefly tried to make a provisional government of the country, but it was reduced by the Allied powers.

The People's Republic of Korea was dissolved in January 1946 by the US military administration. However, in their few months of government, they used a flag composed of the central circle of the previous insignia and three red stripes.

Flag of the People's Republic of Korea (1945). (By Samhanin, from Wikimedia Commons).

Soviet occupation

The Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8, 1945, two days after the US atomic attack on Hiroshima. Quickly the Soviet troops began to occupy Korea. Faced with the Soviet advance, the United States rushed to invade the country from the south and define, without any preparation, a dividing line for the area of occupation.

In this way, it was established that the 38th parallel would divide the Soviet occupation zone from the American one. In December 1945, the Moscow Conference was held, in which the USSR, the United States, China and Great Britain approved the establishment of a five-year trust until Korean independence.

The first form of Soviet occupation was called the Soviet Civil Administration. This government was run directly by the Soviet military who exercised dominance in the north of the Korean peninsula. The flag they used was that of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1936-1955). (By created by rotemliss from Image: Flag of the Soviet Union.svg. (,), Via Wikimedia Commons).

Provisional People's Committee for North Korea

The political status of the north of the Korean peninsula changed in 1946. For the first time, a political entity named North Korea was established.

The Provisional People's Committee for North Korea was the provisional government with Soviet control but which began to be run by the Korean communist leader, Kim Il-sung.

During this period, crossing the 38th parallel border without permission was prohibited. A process of nationalization of companies and factories previously occupied by Japanese also began.

The Provisional People's Committee for North Korea used two flags: the Soviet Union and the Taegukgi. The latter had the colors of the circle adapted horizontally.

Flag of the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea (1946-1948). (By Elevatorrailfan, via Wikimedia Commons).

Creation of the flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

As the union of the country was failing, imposing a different model between the north and the south, the United States brought the Korean problem to the United Nations in 1947. The organization resolved, with the opposition of the Soviet Union, the realization of elections in the peninsula and the departure of foreign troops.

That same year, the flag discussion first emerged in North Korea. Kim Tu-bong, the second in command of the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea agreed to keep the Taegukgi as a flag. However, the Soviet military leaders were against, since the insignia represented elements of superstition not compatible with communism.

Kim Il-sung, who was also in favor of maintaining the Taegukgi, embraced the Soviet will. Subsequently, the design for the new flag was received directly from Moscow. There was no Korean intervention in its composition.

On May 1, 1948, the new North Korean flag was unveiled along with the draft constitution. On July 10, the flag was approved by the Provisional People's Congress of North Korea.

Flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1948-1992). (By Sshu94, from Wikimedia Commons).

Declaration of independence

Simultaneously, the United Nations organized the elections only in the southern part, occupied by the United States. This event was opposed by the Soviet Union, which did not allow the process to take place throughout the peninsula.

These elections resulted in the declaration of independence of the Republic of Korea, in the south, on August 15, 1948. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in the north, did the same on September 9. Since then, the Korean peninsula has remained divided.

Change of position and official version

Kim Il-sung declared in a text published in 1948 after the flag was adopted, that he advocated change. Later, the North Korean government removed any reference to the Taegukgi, including photographs.

The current official version, according to the North Korean government, is that Kim Il-sung designed the flag. For this reason, the pavilion is directly related to the North Korean Juche movement.

Increased circle size

The only change that the North Korean flag has had did not involve its design but the proportions. In 1992, the white circle with the red star increased in size slightly.

This was the result of the approval of a law with specifications in the construction of the flag. The legislation facilitated the construction of the pavilion following exact and official measures.

Meaning of the flag

Due to its foreign origin, the meaning of the flag has been controversial and variable. The most prominent symbol is the red star, historically related to the socialist and communist movements.

However, it would also be correct to relate it to the Juche movement, which is the Marxist-Leninist version applied in North Korea. Other sources suggest that the red star is the representative of the traditions and essence of the Revolution.

According to the North Korean communist leader and adjudicated creator of the flag, Kim Il-sung, the color red is related to blood. This is reflected in the fight against the Japanese occupation for decades.

Instead, the color white represents the only land, language, culture, and ethnicity that inhabit Korea. Finally, blue is responsible for identifying the Korean spirit that fights for peace and progress.

However, the presence of blue and red predates the system implemented in North Korea. Hence, red can be identified with purity, strength, and dignity. Meanwhile, blue is also related to sovereignty, peace, and brotherhood.

Other flags

North Korea has many other flags. The vast majority of them identify sections of the political and military power. One of the most important is that of the Korean Labor Party, representative of the Juche idea.

This is the only party in the country and its flag is made up of a red cloth with three yellow symbols in the central part: a hammer for the workers, a brush for the intellectuals and a sickle for the peasants.

Flag of the Labor Party of Korea. (By Originally uploaded to en.wikipedia by en: User: U2blueEagle on 3 December 2007 with file name en: Image: Workers 'Party of Korea Flag.svg (; Charter of the Workers' Party of Korea), via Wikimedia Commons). Another of the flags that has recently been highlighted on the Korean peninsula is the Korean Unification flag. This symbol is the one that has been used when the South Korean and North Korean teams have marched together in sports games and aims to promote the reunification of the country. The flag consists of a white cloth on which the map of Korea is superimposed in light blue.

Flag of the Unification of Korea. (By File: Unification flag of Korea (pre 2006).svg: Variousderivative work: Valentim (File: Unification flag of Korea (pre 2006).svg), via Wikimedia Commons).

References

INC. (2018). Korea, North. The World Factbook. Recovered from cia.gov.
DailyNK. (June 20, 2016). Kim Tu Bong and the Flag of Great Extremes. Daily NK. Recovered from dailynk.com.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (sf). Flag and Emblem. Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Official webpage of the DPR of Korea. Recovered from korea-dpr.com.
Korean Overseas Information Service. (1978). Facts about Korea. Korean Overseas Information Service. Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Korea: Seoul, Korea.
Shaffer, H. (1967). The Communist World: Marxist and Non-Marxist Views, Volume 2. Ardent Media. Recovered from books.google.co.ve.
Smith, W. (2016). Flag of Korea, North. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Recovered from britannica.com.

FLAG OF NORTH KOREA: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025