General Korea

This site contains general information about Korea featuring the national flower, Mugunghwa and the national flag, Taegukki.

Mugunghwa(Rose of Sharon) is the national flower of Korea. Every year from June to October a profusion of Mugunhwa blossoms grace the entire country. Unlike most flowers, Mugunghwa is remarkably tenacious and is able to withstand both blight and insects. The flower's symbolic significance stems from Mugunghwa's root word, "Mugung," meaning immortality. This word accurately reflects the perseverance and determination of the Korean people that has been demonstrated throughout their long history.

The Korean flag is called t'aegukki. Its design symbolizes the principles of yin and yang in Oriental philosophy. The circle in the center of the flag is divided into two equal parts. The upper red section represents the positive cosmic forces of yang. Conversely, the lower blue section represents the negative cosmic forces of yin. The two forces together embody the concepts of continual movement and balance and harmony that characterize the sphere of infinity. The circle is surrounded by four trigrams, which denotes the process of yin and yang going through a spiral of change and growth. Each trigram symbolizes one of the four universal elements : heaven, earth, fire(sun), and water(moon). The white background of the flag symbolizes the purity of the Korean people and their peace-loving spirit. The flag as a whole is symbolic of the ideal of the Korean people to develop forever together with the universe.