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Just before the end of the
Second World War, the United States of America (USA) and the Union of
the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) agreed to divide Korea along the
38th parallel (a border point roughly dividing Korea in half), this
essentially was to assist with the processing of the surrendering
Japanese troops at the war’s end.
The USA occupied the southern part of Korea and the USSR the north,
with both countries introducing administrations sympathetic to their
leanings in the territory they controlled.
This ultimately led to the failure of reunification discussions
between the USA and USSR and to the establishment of two independent
states, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK-North Korea)
and the Republic of Korea (ROK-South Korea).
In September 1948, one month after the establishment of the Republic
of Korea, the Korea Workers’ Party, led by Kim Il Sung and backed by
the Soviet Union, established the communist inspired Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea.
Along with the creation of the new state was the official introduction
of the national flag on the 8th of September 1948. |
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The blue stripes symbolise
sovereignty, peace and friendship while the red represents communism
and revolutionary patriotism. White is a traditional Korean colour and
symbolises purity and the culture of the Korean people.
The five-pointed red star symbolises the communist leaning of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The white disc it rests on recalls the yin-yang symbol in the flag of
the Republic of Korea. Prior to their separation both Korea’s used
the same flag, currently the Republic of Korea flag. |
