Flag of South Korea

White with a red and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; each corner of the white field has a different Korean character.

Meaning

The traditional colors (white red, blue) and the basic design were already included in the flag of the Korean Kingdom before 1900. In 1948, when Korea was divided into North and South Korea, the flag shown above was introduced in South Korea. At first glance, it is somewhat reminiscent of the more straightforward flag of Japan. On closer inspection, however, the flag contains symbols which may appear simple on the surface, but in deeper study have been of intense philosophical concern to countless people for thousands of years: Um-Yang or commonly known as Yin-Yang in the Chinese language and as a term in the Western world.

The background of the flag is white, symbolic of the Korean people, purity and peace. White is equally manifested in the traditional (white) clothing of the people of Korea. In the center of the flag is a horizontally arranged yin-yang symbol (yin in blue and yang in red). The vertical arrangement is also familiar (blue on the left, red on the right). Among other things, the symbol reminds us of the harmony of opposites.

The four corners of the white background of the flag each contain three lines, which, however, are either closed or divided differently among themselves. A symbol of this type is called a trigram (or triagram). These trigrams are called kwae (or kwe) in Korea. Yin is symbolized by a divided line, and yang is symbolized by a solid line. Yin means 'dark' or 'cold'. Yang means 'light' or 'hot'.

Hymn