- North Korea has altered its national flag for the first time since 1948, with Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un ordering a design tweak that includes widening the white stripes and trimming the flag's length.
- The Naenara propaganda outlet published an updated constitution revealing that the flag's height-to-width ratio has changed from 1:2 to 1:1.65.
- Analysts interpret the flag change as a way to preserve heritage while solidifying the 'two hostile states' doctrine.
- The original flag design was introduced by Kim Il-sung in 1948.
- The flag's traditional colors and the red five-pointed star inside a white circle remain unchanged, but the two thin white stripes have been widened to about a third of the width of the blue bands.
- This redesign follows Kim's decision to declare South Korea a separate, hostile state, moving away from decades of policy aimed at reunification.
- North Korea has removed references to unification from its constitution and altered the national anthem to exclude mentions of a unified Korean homeland.
- According to Article 166 of the new constitution, the broad red stripe represents the blood shed by anti-Japanese fighters, while the blue bands symbolize peace, friendship, and sovereignty.
- The newly widened white stripes and circle symbolize the people's loyalty to the ruling Workers' Party and Kim Jong Un.
- Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, stated that changing the flag's proportions while maintaining its basic design is an attempt to preserve the legacy of previous leaders.
- The revision of the flag also carries significance in institutionalizing the 'two hostile states' doctrine at the constitutional level and through national symbols.
North Korea has officially altered its national flag for the first time since 1948, marking a significant shift in its national identity under Kim Jong Un.125
The updated design features a new height-to-width ratio of 1:1.65, a departure from the previous 1:2 ratio, and wider white stripes that now comprise roughly a third of the blue bands.
The changes were quietly announced through the state propaganda outlet Naenara, which also revealed revisions to the nation's constitution. Kim's alterations reflect a broader strategy to institutionalize the 'two hostile states' doctrine, which positions South Korea as an adversary rather than a potential partner for reunification.34712
In addition to the flag, North Korea has removed references to unification from its constitution and revised the national anthem to eliminate mentions of a unified Korean homeland. According to Article 166 of the new constitution, the broad red stripe symbolizes the blood shed by anti-Japanese fighters, while the blue bands represent peace, friendship, and sovereignty.9
The newly widened white stripes and circle signify loyalty to the ruling Workers' Party and Kim himself. Analysts suggest that this rebranding allows Kim to maintain his family's revolutionary legacy while establishing a distinct national identity associated with his regime.10
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, stated: "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."11
The revision also carries significance in institutionalizing the 'two hostile states' doctrine at the constitutional level and through national symbols.
“The new flag, published in the updated constitution, keeps the red star and blue bands but widens white stripes to a third of the blue bands' width. Analysts say the change preserves the Kim family's revolutionary heritage while legally cementing the 'two hostile states' policy, which also led to scrubbing unification references from the constitution and anthem.”
Daily Star
