A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of North Korea.
Flag of North Korea
The national flag of North Korea consists of a wide red horizontal stripe bordered by two thin white stripes and two blue stripes at the top and bottom. A white circle near the hoist contains a red five-pointed star. The red star on the flag is commonly associated with socialism and represents the leading role of the Korean Workers’ Party. The blue stripes symbolize peace, while the red stripe reflects revolutionary ideals and the struggle for socialism.
Printable North Korea Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about North Korea’s flag
1. The flag was adopted in 1948, the same year the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was established.
2. Although North Korean sources credit Kim Il Sung with designing the flag, some historical accounts suggest it may have been developed with involvement from Soviet officials.
3. The white circle containing the star is sometimes interpreted as referencing the taegeuk symbol used on the flag of South Korea.
4. The color white has long been associated with Korean culture and historically symbolized purity and dignity.
Explore more about North Korea:
History of North Korea’s flag
Background
Korea adopted its first national flag, the Taegeukgi, in 1883. The flag featured a red and blue taegeuk symbol surrounded by four trigrams representing elements of nature.
During the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, the Japanese flag replaced the Taegeukgi as the official flag used on the Korean peninsula.
Creation of the new flag
After Japan’s defeat in World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into two occupation zones. The Soviet Union controlled the northern half of the peninsula while the United States occupied the southern half.
Although the Taegeukgi continued to be widely used after the war, Soviet authorities began encouraging the creation of a new flag for the northern state in 1947.
Adoption of the flag
A new design featuring a red star and horizontal stripes was introduced in 1948.
The design was officially adopted as the national flag when North Korea’s first constitution was approved on 8 September 1948.
Later standardization
In 1992, North Korea passed legislation regulating the specifications and use of the national flag.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.