Aegukka
"", officially translated as "Patriotic Song", is the national anthem of 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.
Starting 2024, the lyrics of the song were significantly edited, and the song has began to be referred as the "National Anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". Whether the text of the Constitution was altered remains unknown, due to North Korea not publishing the full text of amended Constitution.
Performance of this anthem is prohibited in South Korea under the National Security Act.
Etymology
"Aegukka" is a Romanized transliteration of "The Patriotic Song"; the song is also known by its incipit Ach'imŭn pinnara or "Let Morning Shine" or in its Korean name 아침은 빛나라 or alternatively as the "Song of a Devotion to a Country".The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture defines the word "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 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. In general shorthand, the term aegukka refers to the national anthem of North Korea.
History
Originally, the Korean exile government in Shanghai, China adopted as their national anthem "Aegukga" to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne". After World War II, South Korea kept the words, put to a new tune, 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".
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. "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 Broadcasting Station, Voice of Korea and 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" referring to the Korean Peninsula being replaced by "this world".
On 17 April 2024, a ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of 10,000 new homes in Hwasong District, Pyongyang, 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". 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 2024 there have been no reports regarding revision of this article. On 25 October 2024, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly adopted the "Law of the DPRK on the National Anthem", without reporting what the new law mandates.
Lyrics
2024–present
| Chosŏn'gŭl | Hanja and Chosŏn'gŭl | Official romanization | Revised Romanization of Korean | IPA transcription | English translation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK |
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 ? | 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 ? | Shine bright, you dawn, on this land so fair, Over the world, dazzles my country. 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! ? |