South Korea Flag

The Taegukgi features a white field, a central Taeguk (yin-yang) symbol in red and blue, and four black trigrams from the I Ching in each corner. The Taeguk represents balance between opposing cosmic forces.

The four trigrams (geon, gon, gam, ri) at the corners represent sky, earth, water, and fire respectively. White symbolises purity; the red-blue balance represents continual movement and balance in the universe.

The Taegukgi was first introduced in 1882 by Joseon diplomat Park Yeong-hyo, who raised it on a visit to Japan. The design was officially adopted by the Korean Empire and continued by the Republic of Korea after 1945.

The current standard was established in 1949 after independence from Japan. Several revisions have refined the exact proportions and trigram arrangement. The flag is deeply rooted in Confucian and Taoist philosophical traditions.