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| NATIONAL
FLAG |
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 The Korean flag
is called "Taegeukgi" in Korean. Its design symbolizes the
principles of the yin and yang in Oriental philosophy. The circle in
the center of the Korean flag is divided into two equal parts. The
upper red section represents the proactive cosmic forces of the
yang. Conversely, the lower blue section represents the responsive
cosmic forces of the yin. The two forces together embody the
concepts of continual movement, balance and harmony that
characterize the sphere of infinity. The circle is surrounded by
four trigrams, one in each corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of
the four universal elements:
heaven ( ),
earth ( ),
fire ( ), and
water ( ). |
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| NATIONAL
FLOWER |
 The national flower of
Korea is the mugunghwa, rose of sharon. Every year from July to
October, a profusion of mugunghwa blossoms graces the entire
country. Unlike most flowers, the mugunghwa is remarkably tenacious
and able to withstand both blight and insects. The flower¡¯s
symbolic significance stems from the Korean word mugung,
meaning immortality. This word accurately reflects the enduring
nature of Korean culture, and the determination and perseverance of
the Korean people. |
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| National
Anthem |
Our national anthem is "Aegukga," which means
"Love the Country." In 1896, the Dongnip Sinmun
(Independence News) published various versions of lyrics for this
song. It is not known exactly what music they were sung to in the
early days. Records show that a Western-style military band was
formed during the time of the Dae-han Empire (1897-1910) and that
the "Dae-han Empire Aegukga" was composed in 1902 and
played at important national functions.
The original words of Aegukga appeared in written form around 1907
to inculcate allegiance to the nation and foster the spirit of
independence as the country faced threats of foreign annexation.
Over the years, the lyrics went through several versions until they
were adopted as the national anthem in the present form in 1948.
Before the birth of the Republic in 1948, the words were often sung
to the tune of the Scottish folk song, Auld Lang Syne. Maestro Ahn
Eak-tay (1905-1965), then living in Spain, felt that it was
inappropriate to sing this patriotic song to the tune of another
country's folk song. So, he composed new music to go with the lyrics
in 1935, and the Korean Provisional Government in exile adopted it
as the national anthem. While Koreans outside the country sang the
anthem to the new tune, those at home continued to use Auld Lang
Syne until Korea was liberated in 1945.
In 1948 the government of the Republic of Korea officially adopted
the new version as the national anthem and began to use it at all
schools and official functions. |
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