Taegeukgi

The national flag of Korea is called Taegeukgi.

Short history of Taegeukgi

• Origin
Korea is located between the latitudes of 33 and 43 degrees north and the longitudes of 124 and 132 degrees east. The east longitude of 127 degrees and 30 minutes and the north latitude of 38 degrees cross the middle of the peninsula.

• Establishment of the national flag
It was back in 1883 when Taegeukgi was first used as the national flag, but there was no unified design. The design and specification were unified when the government of the Republic of Korea was established in 1948. The Ministry of Education officially promulgated Taegeukgi as the national flag of the Republic of Korea on October 15, 1949. Since then the regulations on the national flag began to take shape as the government legislated the National Flag Production Act (1950), the National Flag Hoisting Act (1964) and other flag-related laws and ordinances.

Design and meaning of Taegeukgi

A circle composed of blue and red semi-circles sits in the center against the white background. This circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in each corner.

• Background
The white background symbolizes the homogeneity, integrity and peace-loving nature of the Korean people. The Korean people have traditionally worn white clothes, earning the nickname “white-clothed people.” The color white symbolizes the Korean people.


• Taegeuk pattern
The Korean people have used the blue and red swirling semi-circles of the Taegeuk pattern since ancient times. The blue section represents the ying and indicates hope, while the red represents the yang and means nobility.


• Four trigrams
A trigram is placed in each corner of the flag. The “geon” trigram represents the heaven, spring, east, and benevolence. The “gon” trigram symbolizes the earth, summer, west, and justice, the “gam” trigram the moon, winter, north, and wisdom, and the “ri” trigram the sun, autumn, south, and courtesy. The four trigrams supposedly move in an endless cycle from “geon” to “ri” to “gon” to “gam” and back to “geon” in their pursuit of perfection.


• Overall symbolism of Taegeukgi
The white background, taegeuk pattern, and four trigrams signify peace, unity, creation, hope, and eternity.

How to make Taegeukgi properly

• Size : The ratio of length to width should be 3:2.
• Tip of the flagpole : The tip should be in the shape of a rose of Sharon blossom with five sepals and the color should be gold.
• Flagpole : The flagpole should be made of hard materials like bamboo or steel. The color should be in the color of a bamboo tree, orresemble it.

National anthem

Listen to Korea's National Anthem

Korea’s national anthem is “Aegukga,” which means “the song of the love for the country.”

Short history of Aegukga

• Origin
There was no official national anthem, but the words of Aegukga were sung to the tune of the Scottish folk song Auld Lang Syne after Japan colonized Korea in 1910.

• Composition
Composer Ahn Eak-tai wrote a new melody for the lyrics in 1936. But Ahn's new composition was not considered the official national anthem tune before 1948. Instead, people continued to sing the old "Aegukga" to the of Auld Lang Syne.


• Establishment of the national anthem
“Aegukga” was officially designated Korea’s national anthem when the Korean government was founded in 1948 and the name “Aegukga,” which used to be a blanket term for all patriotic songs, remained the official title for the national anthem. The lyrics were kept as they were. Although the lyricist of Aegukga is still unknown, some speculate it to be Yun Chi-ho, Ahn Chang-ho or Min Yeong-hwan.

Description of Aegukga

• Music
The music is in A major or G major, has a four-beat rhythm, and is composed of 16 measures.


• Lyrics
The lyrics are solemn in expression, describing the dark reality of Japanese colonial rule, and Koreans’ work to overcome the sorrow of losing their country. But instead of wallowing in the sadness, the lyrics speak of Korea’s beauty and the Korean people’s hope of gaining independence from Japan and bringing prosperity.

National flower

Korea's national flower is mugunghwa (rose of Sharon).

Mugunghwa (rose of Sharon)

Mugunghwa is a deciduous flowering shrub species belonging to the family Malvaceae. Its Latin name is Hibiscus syriacus. Native to India and East Asia, this species is found in India, China, and Korea (south of South Pyeongan and Gangwon Provinces).

• Appearance
Mugunghwa bushes can grow to 2 to 3 meters in height. A mugunghwa shrub bears many sturdy branches, which are smooth, hard and fibrous. The egg-shaped, deeply-lobed leaves can grow to 4 to 10 centimeters long.


• flowers
Mugunghwa blooms in late summer, generally from July to September. Its blossoms measure 6 to 10 centimeters in diameter and its flower stalks are short. Most of the blossoms are pink with deep red gradations toward the center of the petals. Mugunghwa blooms in the early morning and starts to wilt in the afternoon, finally dropping off in the evening. A small shrub generally bears some 20 blossoms a day, while a large one can produce up to 50 flowers. Mugunghwa continues to bloom for about 100 days, so a mugunghwa bush can yield as many as 5,000 blossoms a year. Producing new blooms daily is the most noted characteristic of mugunghwa.

Mugunghwa as the national flower

• History
Mugunghwa is so abundant in Korea that during ancient times the Korean people called the country “the land of mugunghwa.” The first reference to mugunghwa and Korea is discovered in an ancient Chinese geographical document presumed to date back to the second century or earlier. The abundance of mugunghwa in Korea is frequently mentioned in Chinese and Korean literature.


• National flower
Mugunghwa has not been designated by law as Korea’s national flower, but it has represented the Korean people since the olden days. Also, the refrain of Korea’s national anthem, officially adopted in 1948, begins with “splendid rivers and mountains covered with mugunghwa,” which ensured mugunghwa’s status as the national flower. Emblems of the legislative, judicial and administrative branches all feature mugunghwa, and the tip of the flagpole is mandated to be shaped like a mugunghwa blossom.


• Symbolism of mugunghwa
This beautiful, yet unassuming flower properly symbolizes the Korean people’s disposition. Compared to other flowering trees, mugunghwa is highly resistant to diseases, indicating Koreans’ resilience. The repeated blossoming also symbolizes the Korean people’s indomitable spirit. Young mugunghwa shoots are edible, and its flower petals and fruits are used as ingredients for medicine or tea. Mugunghwa, with many versatile uses for mankind, certainly represents the ideal of humanitarianism.