WSJ- Kim Jong Un has redesigned North Korea's national flag for the first time since 1948, altering its proportions to a 1:1.65 ratio and widening the white stripes.
- The updated constitution was published on Naenara, revealing the new flag details, including the change in height-to-width ratio.
- This redesign follows Kim's earlier moves to change the national anthem and abandon the decades-old reunification policy.
- In 1948, Kim Il-sung introduced the original flag with a 1:2 ratio and thin white stripes.
- The newly widened white stripes and circle represent the people's loyalty to the ruling Workers' Party and Kim himself.
- Analysts suggest that this subtle rebrand allows Kim to maintain his family's revolutionary heritage while cementing his own 'two hostile states' doctrine into law.
- The red five-pointed star inside a white circle remains intact, while the traditional red, white, and blue colors are preserved.
- Kim's decision to declare South Korea a separate, hostile state marks a significant shift in North Korea's policy.
- North Korea has removed references to unification from its constitution and rewritten the national anthem to exclude mentions of a unified Korean homeland.
North Korea's flag has undergone its first redesign in 78 years under Kim Jong Un, who has widened the white stripes and adjusted the height-to-width ratio from 1:2 to 1:1.65.12
This change reflects Kim's efforts to distance his regime from the legacy of his grandfather, Kim Il-sung.
While the traditional colors and the red star remain, the new proportions symbolize loyalty to the ruling Workers' Party and Kim himself.
Analysts suggest this rebranding is part of a broader strategy to institutionalize the 'two hostile states' doctrine, which declares South Korea a separate entity rather than a partner for reunification.710
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, noted, "Changing the flag's proportions while maintaining its basic design is an attempt to preserve the legacy of previous leaders while imprinting a distinct national identity associated with the Kim Jong-un era."
The revision also aligns with recent constitutional changes that have removed references to unification and altered the national anthem.
According to the newly published constitution, the broad red stripe represents the blood shed by anti-Japanese fighters, while the blue bands symbolize peace, friendship, and sovereignty.
Kim's regime continues to reshape North Korean identity, marking a significant departure from past policies.
“The redesign, published in the updated constitution on state media Naenara, keeps the red star and blue bands but widens white stripes to a third of the blue bands' width. Analysts like Lim Eul-chul say it preserves revolutionary heritage while institutionalizing Kim's doctrine at the constitutional level.”
Daily Star
