National Flag (Taegeukgi)
The Taegeukgi was first adopted as the national flag of the Joseon Dynasty in 1883, and has been used as the national flag since the foundation of the Korean Empire was proclaimed in 1897. A taegeuk is a circle of red and blue located at the center against a white background, with four black trigrams (gwae) placed in the four corners.
The white background symbolizes brightness, purity, and peace. In contrast, the taegeuk symbolizes harmony between yin and yang (which, in the Eastern philosophy, represent the two contrasting aspects of energy that creates all beings in the universe), and the four trigrams (geon, gon, gam, and ri) represent the sky, the earth, water, and fire.
National Flower (Mugunghwa)
The Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) is the national flower of Korea. The word “Mugunghwa” means “eternal blossom that never fades.”