The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an independent socialist state. Its flag expresses the political positions, aspirations and traditions of the country's population and its leaders. It reflected the main principles of the DPRK. What does the North Korean flag look like?

Flag Description

The North Korean flag was approved in September 1948. It is a standard rectangular panel in which the sides are 1: 2 to each other. The flag field is divided into five unequal horizontal stripes.

The extreme upper and lower stripes are equal in size. They are colored blue and symbolize belief in the ideas of the provisions of the revolution, and also express the desire to unite and cooperate with revolutionaries around the world.

The blue stripes are followed by thin white lines. They denote the pure thoughts and hopes of the inhabitants of the state. The middle stripe is the widest. It is red, which symbolizes the struggle, the strong and unshakable spirit of the population and its patriotism.

The red stripe of the North Korean flag features a red five-pointed star within a white circle. It is not located in the center of the flag, but slightly shifted to the left, closer to the flagpole. The star is a symbol of revolutionary traditions and the main sign of communism.

Flag history

Until the middle of the 20th century, Korea was a single state without division into South and North. Then the country was called the Korean Empire, and Taegykki or the Flag of the great beginnings acted as a banner. He embodied the idea of ​​harmony and balance in the universe.

On the white flag of the empire, a circle was depicted in which the blue and red colors twisted into a spiral, forming the symbol of Yin and Yang. Around him were trigrams from the "Book of Changes", which denoted the four cardinal points, seasons, fundamental elements (water, air, earth, fire), as well as the moon, earth and sun.

In the period from 1910 to 1045, the country was under the influence of Japan. After World War II, the territory of the former Korean Empire was divided, falling under the influence of two different states. South Korea came under US control, and North Korea came under the influence of the USSR. These parts never united, forming two independent states on the world map. In 1948, the North Korean flag was developed, reflecting the goals and aspirations of a different, new country.

Other flags of the republic

The flag with a red star is the main official symbol of the country. However, there are other flags of North Korea as well. For some government agencies, the country has its own banners.

The flag of the ruling Labor Party depicts a golden hammer, sickle and brush crossed among themselves. They are located in the center of the red canvas and symbolize the unification of representatives of all professions and classes.

The flag of the Korean People's Army is painted in the same colors as the state one. Sometimes on all sides, except for the shaft, it is bordered by a yellow fringe. The top and bottom blue stripes are labeled in Korean. And on the left, on the central red stripe, there is the emblem of the DPRK.

Casus with the flag of South Korea

In 2012, an incident occurred that was discussed for a long time on the Internet. The organizers of the London Olympics confused the flags of North and South Korea. Representatives of the North Korean women's soccer team were shown on television with the flag of their southern neighbor.

In fact, it is difficult to confuse the national symbols of these countries. South Korea has chosen as its national flag the historical banner of the Korean Empire, which is quite different from the flag of the DPRK. Countries are not on the best terms with each other, so an oversight could lead to significant conflict.

At first, the North Korean team even wanted to stop participating in the competition, but after a while they returned to the field. Still, there was no large-scale resonance, and the organizers were simply accused of poor preparation for the event.

In recent years, it has become a household name throughout the world. But this fame is extremely negative. Aggressive nuclear saber rattling and multiple human rights abuses are of course a cause for concern. But behind all this political fuss, few people pay attention to the mentality that has developed in this country, which is manifested, first of all, in state symbols - the anthem, coat of arms and flag.

DPRK flag

The flag of which differs markedly from the symbols of other Asian states, appeared in 1948, after several years of anti-Japanese struggle and the political split that followed the victory. Unique circumstances led to the fact that in it the traditional values ​​for every Korean and new revolutionary ideals have merged.

So, the North is made in the proportions of 1: 2 (the length is 2 times the width) and consists of 5 longitudinal stripes of red, blue and white. The star located in the middle with a slight offset to the left in length symbolizes the revolutionary intentions of the country and, in fact, is a tribute to the USSR. The latter patronized the DPRK for a long time in all spheres.

The colors of the flag have the following meanings:

  • Red is the patriotism of the revolutionary masses and the desire to fight.
  • White is the purity of ideals.
  • Blue - a call to unite with other revolutionary peoples for the further struggle for world peace.

It is worth noting that the closest neighbors - South and North Korea - have the flag in the same color. Despite the revolutionary aspirations, the state did not deviate from the palette traditional for Southeast Asia.

Coat of arms of the DPRK

This symbol was also adopted in 1948 and at first glance is very similar to the sign of the USSR. Indeed, the coat of arms of North Korea and the patron state is related by a red ribbon at the base and the ears framing the sign. This, in fact, is where the similarities end.

The main parts of the symbol:

  • The coat of arms is framed by ears of rice, a traditional Korean food.
  • In the upper part there is a revolutionary red star, from which, like from the sun, rays come.
  • Below is shown Mount Baekdu, where, according to legend, Hwanun, the founder of the first Korean state, descended from heaven.
  • The center of the emblem tells about industrial power with signs in the form of an electric tower, a powerful hydroelectric power station and a dam.

National Anthem of the DPRK

North Korea received the flag and coat of arms almost 1 year later than its official national anthem was written. The solemn song, co-written by Park Se Yoon, consists of only 2 verses and does not call others to revolutionary achievements.

The anthem can be called very peaceful, because its main meaning is a story about the glory to which the Korean people are leading the country.

In September 1948, the flag of the state of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which has the unofficial name of North Korea, was officially adopted.

Description and proportions of the flag of North Korea

The North Korean flag is a classic rectangle whose sides are 2: 1 to each other. The fabric of the flag looks like a field, divided into five horizontal stripes unequal in width. The widest - the middle part of the flag - is made in bright red. On its half, closest to the shaft, there is a white disk, into which is inscribed a five-pointed star of the same red color as the main field of the panel. The edges of the star touch the edges of the white circle.
The red field is bounded by thin white stripes followed by the top and bottom stripes of the North Korean flag. These stripes at the top and bottom are made in dark blue.
The symbolism of the flag of the state of North Korea is understandable to every citizen. The star serves as a symbol of the revolutionary traditions of the state, which are based on the ideas of the Juche. This official ideology recognizes "self-reliance" as the main postulate.
The red field of the North Korean flag reminds of the revolutionary patriotism of the country's inhabitants and the spirit of struggle that permeates every day of their lives. The white color of the stripes of the flag of North Korea is traditional for this people. It symbolizes the purity of the ideals and thoughts of every Korean. The blue flag fields are the desire to unite in the struggle for the victory of peace and friendship with all the revolutionary peoples of the planet.

History of the flag of North Korea

Immediately after the end of World War II, the Korean Peninsula became an arena for the liberation struggle against the Japanese invaders. During these years, the inhabitants of Korea used the flag of the pre-colonial state, which was called the Flag of the Great Beginnings. It was a white cloth with an emblem in the center. This symbol of the highest harmony and perfect structure of the world reminded of the unity and struggle of the beginnings of yin and yang and the concept of eternal movement forward. Trigrams of the flag signified the most important values ​​and qualities of an ideal character for people, the seasons and the heavenly bodies.
In 1948, the Flag of the Great Beginnings was officially proclaimed the state symbol of the newly formed Republic of Korea in the southern part of the peninsula. The North Korean authorities were forced to develop a draft of their own flag, which first flew on all flagpoles in September 1948.