Official Name of the DPRK
The official name of the country is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Korea was deprived of its name in the early 20th century under the military rule by the Japanese imperialists. It was only after President Kim Il Sung won back the country and founded the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on September 9, Juche 37 (1948) that it could have its dignified and proud name as befits a great and people-oriented state.
The name represents the independent character of the state and its genuine, democratic and people-oriented character.
It embodies the ennobling spirit of national independence to advance the Korean revolution by the efforts of the Korean people themselves and the infinite love for the nation.
It also represents the fact that the DPRK is the most democratic state which makes broad sections of the masses of the people take part in state affairs and a genuine people’s state which provides all the Korean people, including workers and peasants, with not only political freedom and rights but also happy material and cultural life.
Today, the DPRK is demonstrating its might as the dignified socialist country of Juche and the most advantageous people-centred socialism.
National Emblem of the DPRK
The national emblem of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea bears the design of a grand hydroelectric power station under Mt Paektu, the sacred mountain of the revolution, and the beaming light of a five-pointed red star, with ears of rice forming an oval frame, bound with a red ribbon bearing the inscription “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”
Mt Paektu and the beaming light of a five-pointed red star on the upper part of the national emblem symbolize the revolutionary traditions inherited by the DPRK and the bright future of the Korean people who are advancing dynamically to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche.
The five-pointed red star represents the unshakable will of the Korean people to advance vigorously towards the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche pioneered in Mt Paektu under the guidance of the great leader and the great Workers’ Party of Korea.
The red ribbon and the name of the country stand for the invincible might of the DPRK.
The name of the country inscribed on the lower central part of the red ribbon clearly reflects the character and mission of the country which fully ensures democracy in state building and its activities so that the masses of the people can take part in state activities as the true masters of the state power, exercises dictatorship over the class enemies by strengthening the people’s democratic dictatorship and provides workers, peasants and other working masses with genuine political freedom, rights and happy material and cultured life.
The hydroelectric power station and ears of rice vividly represent the rosy future of the independent and prosperous DPRK.
The national emblem intensifies the Korean people’s pride and self-confidence in living and working in a dignified and powerful socialist country of Juche.
National Flag of the DPRK
The national flag of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a blue-and-red flag, which consists of a central, broad red panel, bordered both above and below by a narrow white stripe and a broad blue stripe. The central red panel bears a five-pointed red star within a white circle near the hoist.
The red colour of the national flag symbolizes the red blood of the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners and the united might of the Korean people.
The white circle and two white stripes represent that the DPRK is a genuine people’s country where the people are the masters and which enjoys their absolute support and trust, and the loyalty of the Korean people who support the leadership of the Party and the leader with pure sincerity. They also imply that the Korean people, who have been particularly fond of white colour which means honesty, uprightness, purity and smartness from olden times, are a homogeneous nation who has lived on the same territory carrying the same bloodline, with the same language and culture.
The two blue stripes reflect the valiant image of the Korean people struggling to build an independent and prosperous nation on this land and their aspiration to global peace and progress.
The five-pointed red star represents the glorious traditions of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle carried forward in a comprehensive manner by the DPRK government, the mettle of the Korean people fighting for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche and the bright future of the DPRK which will be prosperous, shining like a star forever.
The flag is of rectangular type, whose ratio of the breadth to the length is 1 to 2.
National Anthem of the DPRK
The national anthem of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is The Patriotic Song (written by Pak Se Yong and music by Kim Won Gyun).
It was created on the initiative of President Kim Il Sung and under his meticulous guidance in Juche 36 (1947), a historic period when the Korean people were building a new country after the liberation of Korea on August 15, 1945.
It represents the firm will of the Korean people to glorify the beautiful nature of their country and its time-honoured history and traditions generation after generation and demonstrate their country as a world power to the whole world.
The lyrics of the song Shine bright, you dawn, on this land so fair reflect the thoughts and feelings of the Korean people with the unusual pride of being born in the country which has been called from olden times a land of morning calm where the sun rises.
They also express the pride of their country as one of the cradles of human civilization with the time-honoured history spanning 5 000 years, which developed the brilliant Taedonggang culture, in a weighty and profound way through such poetic words as Five thousand years your history and And rich in cultural heritage. And the poetic words And as with heart and soul we strive, Korea shall forever thrive appeal to the people to cherish a sense of patriotism so as to add eternal brilliance to their country through generations.
The Patriotic Song inspires the Korean people to cherish national pride and self-confidence of and ardent love for their beautiful country, with profound meaning in its content and artistic depiction.
Official Language of the DPRK
The official language of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is Korean.
Korean is an excellent language which has a developed and refined linguistic system and structure and its own unique letters.
Koreans are a homogeneous nation that originated in Korea in ancient times and have lived, carrying the same bloodline and using one language. The Korean language has been developed and enriched along with the 5 000-year-long history of the nation.
It consists of 21 vowels and 19 consonants, and has rich vocabularies and unique grammatical structure.
The Pyongyang dialect is the standard of the Korean language.
The Pyongyang dialect is the prototype of the Korean language which comprehensively embodies the unique, people-oriented and revolutionary characteristics and superiority of the language.
National Flower of the DPRK
The national flower of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the blossom of magnolia (Magnolia sieboldii).
Magnolia flower symbolizes pure and ennobling spiritual world, outstanding wisdom and talents of the Korean people who have been called the white-clad nation from olden times for its graceful, clear and clean colour and beautiful shapes and sweet fragrance with white as the ground colour.
Magnolia is a special tree with large flowers which emit deep fragrance, strong stems and branches, and its leaves are also very big and good-looking. It grows well on wet soil in deep mountains, valleys and hillsides with relatively high humidity in different parts of Korea except northern alpine regions. It can be planted and cultivated in the areas with the annual average temperature of 8-10°C, lowest temperature of 26°C below zero, and maximum temperature of 35°C.
The tree can be propagated through seeds, grafting, layering, separating of roots and planting of cuttings. Flowers are used as a raw material of high-grade essential oil, medicines and oil.
As a single-species plant, the tree produces flowers same in shape, size and colour wherever it may grow. This feature represents the disposition of the Korean people as a homogeneous nation who originated from one lineage and led a pure life on the same territory with one language and culture, creating the time-honoured history of 5 000 years and brilliant culture, and preserve their national identity wherever they go.
Magnolia is widely cultivated under the care of the Korean people.
National Tree of the DPRK
The national tree of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is pine (Pinus densiflora).
This evergreen and strongly viable needle-leaved tree symbolizes the stout mettle and fortitude of the nation.
A plant native to Korea, it has been regarded as a tree symbolic of the Korean nation as it has traversed a long historical course along with the nation.
As it has high ecological adaptability, strong resistance to cold and drought and high ability of natural regeneration by means of seeds, it grows almost in all areas of the country except the northern alpine land. In several regions there are pine colonies which are more than thousands of years old.
It grows well in whatever types of soil—dry or sandy—on seashore and even on rocks.
For this reason, it has represented the natural scenery of the country and been closely related to the living of its people since the dawn of human civilization.
A pine tree, which does not lose its verdure even in snow, reflects the spirit of the Korean people who are making a dauntless advance in the face of all sorts of challenges and trials and creating epochal miracles and a history of sea changes under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
National Bird of the DPRK
The national bird of the DPRK is goshawk (Accipiter gentilis).
From olden times the bird has been familiar to the Korean people in their life. It is proved by the facts that a tamed goshawk played the leading role in hunting and the bird was reflected in fine arts, proverbs, historical stories, poetries, anecdotes, folk songs, etc.
Hunting by goshawk started from the period of Ancient Joson (from early BC 30th century to BC 108), the first slave state in Korea.
Hunting scenes by goshawk have been found on the mural paintings of tombs in the period of Koguryo, including Anak Tomb No.1.
In the period of three kingdoms (Koguryo, Paekje and Silla), goshawks were bred at private houses. In the period of Koryo (918-1392) and the feudal Joson dynasty (1392-1910) there was a government office in charge of breeding goshawk and hunting.
The bird belongs to the genus Accipiter of the eagle family of the eagle order. It is usually 48 to 61cm in length and weighs 800 to 1 350g.
The female is a little bigger than the male. Its back is blackish grey. Because of the white part on its eyebrows, the crown of its head looks like a black cap. The tail with many black streaks is grey, with thin white streaks at its end in a circle. Its small beak is bluish black and its slender and long legs are brown.
Goshawk inhabits the central part or edges of dense forests and in bushes. It preys on rats, pheasants, hares, etc. The male eats 130g and the female 190g daily on average.
Usually it breeds from early in April to the middle of May. It makes a nest on one of the highest tree in the forests and lays three to four light blue eggs at a time. It lives alone or in pairs on farmlands, riversides and forests of highlands and flat lands in breeding season or in summer, and on hills or flat lands in autumn and winter.
Goshawk is distributed in all parts of Korea.
The Korean people treasure the goshawk, as it has well-balanced appearance against its not so big body, acute vision, sharp beak, strong talons, high speed, clever and determined temperament.
National Dog of the DPRK
The national dog of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is Phungsan.
An indigenous species of the country, it has been familiar to the Korean people from olden times. The place of its origin is the area of Kim Hyong Gwon County (formerly Phungsan County) in a northern province of Ryanggang. Hence, its name Phungsan.
It is highly resistant to cold and strong in vitality. It is particularly resistant to diseases. It has a good appetite and grows well even under harsh conditions, so it can be raised anywhere.
The dog is very clever and usually mild-tempered. It is amiable to its owner but very furious to its enemy. Though smaller than hound, it is very nimble and tenacious, and fights against any beast to the last without giving it up.
It is very watchful and vigilant, so it is used in guarding the house and chasing and overpowering game.
Phungsan was registered as a national monument of the DPRK, and the dog reserve is created in an area of Kim Hyong Gwon County.
The Korean people love Phungsan because it resembles the disposition of the Koreans who are always upright, brave and agile.
National Liquor of the DPRK
The national liquor of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is Pyongyang Soju.
A traditional kind of liquor of Korea, Pyongyang Soju symbolizes the pure, kind and meticulous mind of the Korean people and the liveliness of Korea with beautiful mountains and clear rivers.
Its alcoholic content is 25% and it is mild, savoury and refreshing. Its main raw materials are maize and polished rice.
Pyongyang Soju distilled in the Taedonggang Foodstuff Factory was awarded the February 16 Sci-Tech Prize, the top sci-tech prize in the country.
