- For South Korea's national anthem, see Aegukga.
National Anthem- North Korea - 애국가
"Aegukka" (애국가) is the national anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) – commonly known as North Korea. To celebrate the country's independence from Japan, the lyrics were written by Pak Se-yong and the accompanying music was composed by Kim Won-gyun; shortly after, it was officially adopted as the state anthem in 1947.[1][2] The lyrics were modified in 2024.
Performance of this anthem is strictly prohibited in South Korea, under the National Security Act.
History[]
Originally, the Korean exile government in Shanghai adopted as their national anthem "Aegukga" (which has the same name with a different Romanization, currently used as South Korea's national anthem) to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne". After World War II, South Korea kept the words, put to a new tune (changed from "Auld Lang Syne"), while North Korea adopted this newly written piece in 1947. The words were written by Pak Se-yong and the music was composed by Kim Won-gyun.
In the early 1980s, Kim Jong Il sought to reduce the song's importance to the benefit of "Song of General Kim Il Sung".[3]
The complete version of "Aegukka" consists two verses. On official occasions, when only the first verse is performed, it is customary to repeat the last four bars. However, if both verses are performed, it is the last four bars of the second verse that are repeated instead. "Song of General Kim Il Sung" and "Song of General Kim Jong Il" have since taken the place of de facto national anthems domestically, and "Aegukka" is reserved for representing North Korea internationally: when foreign dignitaries visit the country or North Korean athletes compete at international sporting competitions.[4] "Aegukka" is almost unique among most North Korean patriotic songs, as it praises neither the Workers' Party of Korea nor the Kim family, but rather the whole of Korea itself. "Aegukka" is played at the start of each of Korean Central Television's broadcast days.
In February 2024, in line with Kim Jong Un's announcement of officially abandoning efforts to peacefully reunifying Korea, the lyrics were partially modified, with the phrase "three thousand ri" (삼천리) referring to the Korean Peninsula being replaced by "this world" (이 세상).[5]
On 17 April 2024, a ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of 10,000 new homes in Hwasong District, Pyongyang,[6] in which the national anthem was performed. This was broadcast on Korea Central Television, and was rebroadcast on the next day, 18 April. However, during the rebroadcast, the title was changed from "Aegukka" to "National Anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (조선민주주의인민공화국 국가). It has been speculated that this was done to further strengthen the division between the north and south after North Korea abandoned the idea of peaceful reunification, by giving the national anthem a different title to that of South Korea. However, the Constitution of North Korea, in Article 171, still mentions that the national anthem is "Aegukka", and as of 21 April 2024 there have been no reports regarding revision of this article.
Symbolism[]
The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture defines "Aegukka" as "the song to wake up the mind to love the country". "Aegukka" in itself is differentiated from a national anthem. While a national anthem (or gukka – 'country song') is an official symbol of the state, aegukka refers to any song, official or unofficial, that contains patriotic fervor towards its country, such as Hungary's "Szózat" or the United States' "The Stars and Stripes Forever".[7][8] However, the nationally designated "Aegukka" plays the role of symbolizing the country.[9]
Lyrics[]
1947–2024[]
Korean original[]
| Chosŏn'gŭl (official) |
Hancha | McCune–Reischauer Romanization | Koryo-mar Cyrillization | Revised Romanization | IPA transcription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
아침은 빛나라 이 강산 |
아침은 빛나라 이 江山 |
Ach'imŭn pinnara i kangsan |
Ачимын биннара и ганъсан |
Achimeun binnara i gangsan |
[a̠.ˈt͡sʰim.ɯn ˈpin.na̠.ɾa̠ i ka̠ŋ.ˈsʰa̠n] |
Chinese version[]
朝日鲜明的此江山
金银宝藏多么丰富，
三千里锦绣河山我祖国
有五千年悠久历史。
𝄆 灿烂的文化熏陶
智慧的人民光荣无上，
让我们献出身心永远
保卫我朝鲜。𝄇
弘扬白头山的气概
把勤劳精神坚持，
为真理团结志坚如钢
昂立在世界最前头。
𝄆 复兴强盛所向披靡
依人民的意志来建国，
让繁荣富强的我朝鮮
永世放光辉。𝄇[12]
Russian version[]
Сияет утро над Родиной,
Богаты недра родной земли.
Пять тысяч лет твоей истории,
Отчизна в три тысячи ли.
𝄆 Народ наш гордый прославился
В веках культурою древнею.
Родимой землю свою зовём,
Корею к славе мы ведём! 𝄇
Поныне дух горы Пэкту жив,
Живёт дух правды у нас в груди.
Как монолит, идём сплочённые,
И ждёт нас слава впереди.
𝄆 Сквозь бури смело прошедшую,
Народа волей рождённую,
Цветущую на пути своём —
Корею к славе мы ведём! 𝄇[13]
English version[]
Shine bright, you dawn, on this land so fair,
The country of three thousand ri,
So rich in silver and in gold you are,
Five thousand years your history.
𝄆 Our people ever were renowned and sage,
And rich in cultural heritage,
And as with heart and soul we strive,
Korea shall forever thrive! 𝄇
And in the spirit of Mount Paektu,
With love of toil that shall never die,
With will of iron fostered by the truth,
We'll lead the whole world by and by.
𝄆 We have the might to foil the angry sea,
Our land more prosperous still shall be,
As by the people's will we strive,
Korea shall forever thrive! 𝄇[14]
2024–present[]
Korean original[]
| Chosŏn'gŭl (official) |
Hancha | McCune–Reischauer Romanization | Koryo-mar Cyrillization | Revised Romanization | IPA transcription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
아침은 빛나라 이 강산 |
아침은 빛나라 이 江山 |
Ach'imŭn pinnara i kangsan |
Ачимын биннара и ганъсан |
Achimeun binnara i gangsan |
[a̠.ˈt͡sʰim.ɯn ˈpin.na̠.ɾa̠ i ka̠ŋ.ˈsʰa̠n] |
Chinese version[]
朝日鲜明的此江山
金银宝藏多么丰富，
这世上锦绣河山我祖国
有五千年悠久历史。
𝄆 灿烂的文化熏陶
智慧的人民光荣无上，
让我们献出身心永远
保卫我朝鲜。𝄇
弘扬白头山的气概
把勤劳精神坚持，
为真理团结志坚如钢
昂立在世界最前头。
𝄆 复兴强盛所向披靡
依人民的意志来建国，
让繁荣富强的我朝鮮
永世放光辉。𝄇
English version[]
Shine bright, you dawn, on this land so fair,
This world, my beautiful homeland
So rich in silver and in gold you are,
Five thousand years of your history.
𝄆 Our people ever were renowned and sage,
And rich in cultural heritage,
And as with heart and soul, we strive,
Korea shall forever thrive! 𝄇
And in the spirit of Mount Paektu,
With the love of toil that shall never die,
With a will of iron fostered by the truth,
We'll lead the whole world by and by.
𝄆 We have the might to foil the angry sea,
Our land more prosperous still shall be,
As by the people's will we strive,
Korea shall forever thrive! 𝄇[15]
References[]
- ↑ National Anthem of the DPRK. DPRK Today.
- ↑ Historical Dictionary of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2012-07-13). Hoare, James E. Scarecrow Press (273). ISBN 9780810879874. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ↑ Three Days in the Hermit Kingdom: An American Visits North Korea (2010-05-26). Burdick, Eddy. McFarland. p. 248. ISBN 978-0-7864-5653-6.
- ↑ North of the DMZ: Essays on Daily Life in North Korea (2007-04-24). Lankov, Andrei. McFarland. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-7864-5141-8.
- ↑ North Korea's national anthem drops unification reference amid ongoing purge (2024-02-16). Reddy, Shreyas. NK News.
- ↑ North Korea celebrates building 10,000 modern homes in Pyongyang. Reuters.
- ↑ 애국가. Academy of Korean Studies.
- ↑ 애국가. Doosan Corporation.
- ↑ 애국-가愛國歌. NAVER Corp.
- ↑ National Anthems & Patriotic Songs "North Korean National Anthem - Aegukka (애국가)" lyrics. Lyrics-on.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Based on Wiktionary's Korean pronunciation.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221203152846/http://www.uriminzokkiri.com/index.php?lang=chn&ptype=cfougi&mtype=view&no=4770
- ↑ http://www.www.sovmusic.ru/text.php?fname=gosudars
- ↑ http://www.ryongnamsan.edu.kp/univ/en/special/a87ff679a2f3e71d9181a67b7542122c?currentPage=0
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240217121501/http://mfa.gov.kp/article/page/official-name-national-emblem-national-flag-and-national-anthem