Ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the U.S., the national flags of Korea and the U.S. hang across the American capital of Washington. Both photos on April 21 show ads marking the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance at the Korean Cultural Center (left) in Washington and the former legation building of the Korean Empire (1897-1910). (Office of the President)

By Yoon Sojung

Ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's seven-day state visit to the U.S. from April 24, the Korean and American flags are hanging together across Washington.

The Office of the President in Seoul on April 22 said it installed ambient ads under the theme "70th year of the ROK-US alliance - We go together" in Washington to mark the milestone.

Ambient advertising uses the characteristics of a location's surroundings or spots to attract attention.

In the ad, an American honor guard in 1953 and a Korean one in 2023 hold the national flags of their respective countries. The numbers "1953," the year of the alliance's launch, and "2023" are written along with the phrase "Freedom and Solidarity," the core of the alliance. 

The ad is installed on the outer wall of the Korean Cultural Center on Massachusetts Ave, also known as "Embassy Row," and in the front yard of the former legation building of the Korean Empire (1897-1910) at Logan Circle.

At the former legation building, which was used for its purpose for 16 years from February 1889, the ad shows honor guards from both countries hoisting their national flags together.

A photo spot each in the front of the KCC and the building allows passersby to take photos with the ads in the background. 

"The ads were designed with the intention of reminding the people of Korea and the U.S. of the meaning of the 70-year Korea-U.S. alliance as a security and value alliance and making them think about its future vision together," the Office of the President said. "This friendly opportunity will help people feel the importance of the alliance through images of soldiers holding the Taegeukgi (Korean flag) and Stars and Stripes."

Using both flags by combining images and the real things, the ads were created by Jeski Social Campaign, a leader in ambient advertising in Korea.

The two flags are also hanging on streets throughout the US capital.

Korean media including Yonhap News on April 22 said the flags decorate the city's main streets like the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House.

The national flags of Korea and the U.S. on April 21 hang on the outer wall of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House in Washington. (Jeon Han)