"Aegukka" (Chosŏn'gŭl: 애국가; lit.'Song of Patriotism'), officially translated as "Patriotic Song",[2] is the national anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, more commonly known as North Korea. It was composed in 1945 as a patriotic song celebrating independence from Japanese occupation and was adopted as the state anthem in 1947.
"Aegukka" is a Romanized transliteration of "The Patriotic Song"; the song is also known by its incipitAch'imŭn pinnara or "Let Morning Shine"[1][3] or in its Korean name 아침은 빛나라 or alternatively as the "Song of a Devotion to a Country".
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 (lit.'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 U.S. "The Stars and Stripes Forever". However, the nationally designated "Aegukka" plays the role of symbolizing the country.[4][5] In general shorthand, the term aegukka refers to the national anthemofNorth Korea.[6][4]
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.[8][9] "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.[10] "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.[11] "Aegukka" is played at the start of each of Korean Central Television's broadcast days.[12][13]
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" (Korean: 삼천리; Hanja: 三千里) referring to the Korean Peninsula being replaced by "this world" (Korean: 이 세상; Hanja: 이 世上).[11]
On 17 April 2024, a ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of 10,000 new homes in Hwasong District, Pyongyang,[14] 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 (Korean: 애국가; Hancha: 愛國歌) to simply "National Anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (Korean: 조선민주주의인민공화국 국가; Hancha: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國 國歌; MR: Chosŏn minjujuŭi inmin konghwaguk kukka).[15] 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[update] there have been no reports regarding revision of this article.
I
아침은 빛나라 이 강산
은금에 자원도 가득한
삼천리 아름다운 내 조국
반만년 오랜 력사에
𝄆 찬란한 문화로 자라난
슬기론 인민의 이 영광
몸과 맘 다 바쳐 이 조선
길이 받드세 𝄇
II
백두산 기상을 다 안고
근로의 정신은 깃들어
진리로 뭉쳐진 억센 뜻
온 세계 앞서 나가리
𝄆 솟는 힘 노도도 내밀어
인민의 뜻으로 선 나라
한없이 부강하는 이 조선
길이 빛내세 𝄇
I
아침은 빛나라 이 江山
銀金에 資源도 가득한
三千里 아름다운 내 祖國
半萬年 오랜 歷史에
𝄆 燦爛한 文化로 자라난
슬기론 人民의 이 榮光
몸과 맘 다 바쳐 이 朝鮮
길이 받드세 𝄇
II
白頭山 氣像을 다 안고
勤勞의 精神은 깃들어
眞理로 뭉쳐진 억센 뜻
온 世界 앞서 나가리
𝄆 솟는 힘 怒濤도 내밀어
人民의 뜻으로 선 나라
限없이 富强하는 이 朝鮮
길이 빛내세 𝄇
I
Ach'imŭn pinnara i kangsan
Ŭn'gŭme chawŏndo kadŭkhan
Samch'ŏlli arŭmdaun nae choguk
Panmannyŏn oraen ryŏksaë
𝄆 Ch'allanhan munhwaro charanan
Sŭlgiron inminŭi i yŏnggwang
Momgwa mam ta pach'yŏ i Chosŏn
Kiri pattŭse 𝄇
II
Paektusan kisangŭl ta anko
Kŭlloŭi chŏngsinŭn kittŭrŏ
Chilliro mungch'yŏjin ŏksen ttŭt
On segye apsŏ nagari
𝄆 Sonnŭn him nododo naemirŏ
Inminŭi ttŭsŭro sŏn nara
Hanŏpsi puganghanŭn i Chosŏn
Kiri pinnaese 𝄇
I
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 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! 𝄇
II
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! 𝄇
I
In the morning, shine, this river and mountain
Full of silver and gold
Three thousand ri of my beautiful homeland
In a long history of five thousand years
𝄆 Growing up with a brilliant culture
With the people's wisdom and glory
As we sacrifice our body and mind to Korea
Forever may it be strong 𝄇
II
With all the spirit of Mt. Paektu
The spirit of work lives on
A strong meaning united by truth
Let us go ahead of the whole world
𝄆 Showing the surging strength and power,
A country founded on the will of the people
Oh Korea, infinitely prosperous
Forever may it shine 𝄇
I
아침은 빛나라 이 강산
은금에 자원도 가득한
이 세상 아름다운 내 조국
반만년 오랜 력사에
𝄆 찬란한 문화로 자라난
슬기론 인민의 이 영광
몸과 맘 다 바쳐 이 조선
길이 받드세 𝄇
II
백두산 기상을 다 안고
근로의 정신은 깃들어
진리로 뭉쳐진 억센 뜻
온 세계 앞서 나가리
𝄆 솟는 힘 노도도 내밀어
인민의 뜻으로 선 나라
한없이 부강하는 이 조선
길이 빛내세 𝄇
I
아침은 빛나라 이 江山
銀金에 資源도 가득한
이 世上 아름다운 내 祖國
半萬年 오랜 歷史에
𝄆 燦爛한 文化로 자라난
슬기론 人民의 이 榮光
몸과 맘 다 바쳐 이 朝鮮
길이 받드세 𝄇
II
白頭山 氣像을 다 안고
勤勞의 精神은 깃들어
眞理로 뭉쳐진 억센 뜻
온 世界 앞서 나가리
𝄆 솟는 힘 怒濤도 내밀어
人民의 뜻으로 선 나라
限없이 富强하는 이 朝鮮
길이 빛내세 𝄇
I
Ach'imŭn pinnara i kangsan
Ŭn'gŭme chawŏndo kadŭkhan
Yi sesang arŭmdaun nae choguk
Panmannyŏn oraen ryŏksaë
𝄆 Ch'allanhan munhwaro charanan
Sŭlgiron inminŭi i yŏnggwang
Momgwa mam ta pach'yŏ i Chosŏn
Kiri pattŭse 𝄇
II
Paektusan kisangŭl ta anko
Kŭlloŭi chŏngsinŭn kittŭrŏ
Chilliro mungch'yŏjin ŏksen ttŭt
On segye apsŏ nagari
𝄆 Sonnŭn him nododo naemirŏ
Inminŭi ttŭsŭro sŏn nara
Hanŏpsi puganghanŭn i Chosŏn
Kiri pinnaese 𝄇
I
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! 𝄇
II
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! 𝄇
I
In the morning, shine, these rivers and mountains
Full of silver and gold is this earth
My beautiful Fatherland in this world
In a long history of five thousand years
𝄆 Growing up with a brilliant culture
With the people's wisdom and glory
As we sacrifice our body and mind to Korea
Forever may it be strong 𝄇
II
With all the spirit of Mt. Paektu
The spirit of work lives on
A strong will, united by the truth
Lets us go ahead of the whole world
𝄆 Showing the surging strength and power,
The country built by the will of the people
Infinitely prosperous, oh Korea
Forever may it shine 𝄇
^"北, '애국가'→'조선민주주의인민공화국 국가'로 표기" [North Korea labels Aegukka as "National Anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea"]. Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). 18 April 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
