North Korea’s flag (8 September 1948) has a wide red central band bordered by thin white lines and blue bands, with a white disc and red five‑pointed star near the hoist. Red denotes revolutionary spirit; white national identity and purity; blue sovereignty and peace. Ratio 1:2; usage is tightly regulated, with penalties for disrespect.
Adopted at the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 1948, the flag intentionally departed from the Taegukgi to proclaim a new socialist state. The composition is a broad red horizontal band flanked by narrow white stripes and outer blue bands. Near the hoist, a white circle encloses a red five‑pointed star.
Red symbolises the revolutionary struggle and the blood shed for independence and socialism; white indicates purity and the identity of the Korean people; blue represents sovereignty, peace, and international solidarity. The statute fixes the 1:2 aspect ratio and details the diameters, offsets, and band thicknesses for accurate reproduction.
Protocol
requires display on state buildings, military formations, and during mass events; half‑masting follows official decree. Disrespect, alteration, or misuse is a criminal offence. Internationally, the flag appears almost exclusively in formal diplomatic and sporting contexts, with strict controls on manufacture and use ensuring uniformity.
The unchanged design since 1948 underpins the regime’s narrative of continuity and revolutionary legitimacy.