The national symbols of South Korea are official and unofficial flags, icons, or cultural expressions that are emblematic, representative, or otherwise characteristic of South Korea (the Republic of Korea) and of its culture. Since the division of the Korean peninsula in 1948, South Korea has retained traditional symbols to distinguish from the national symbols of North Korea.
| Symbol | Image | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flag | Current version, adopted in 2011; inaugural version from 1948. | ||
| Emblem | Emblem of South Korea | (Taegeuk; Hibiscus syriacus) | The original version of the emblem was announced on 10 December 1963;[1] [2] [3] [4] the current version (shown here) was adopted in 2011. |
| National anthem | Aegukga 애국가 | ||
| Song | Arirang 아리랑 | ||
| Seal | National seal Guksae | Current version, adopted in 2011; inaugural version was adopted in 1949. | |
| Governmental emblem | Government emblem of South Korea (Taegeuk) | ||
| National motto | 홍익인간 (弘益人間) | "Benefit broadly in the human world / Devotion to the Welfare of Humanity" | |
| National tree | Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) | ||
| National flower | Hibiscus syriacus | ||
| National bird | Korean magpie (Pica sericea) | ||
| National animal | Korean tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) | ||
| National fruit | Asian Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) | ||
| National currency | South Korean won | ||
| Patron saint | Andrew Kim Taegon | ||
| National founder | Dangun | ||
| De facto National poet | Ch'oe Ch'i-wŏn, Han Yong-un, Pak Mok-wol, Jeong Cheol | ||
| National epic | Jewang Un'gi, King Dongmyeong | ||
| De facto National dance | Buchaechum, Ganggangsullae, Geommu | ||
| National costume | Hanbok | ||
| National insect | Callipogon relictus | Unofficial symbol of the Entomological Society of Korea and Korean Entomological Institute | |
| National instrument | |||
| National stone | Amethyst | ||
| National colours | |||
| National mountains | Paektu Mountain, Hallasan | Paektu Mountain is located in North Korea and China Both are part of the larger Baekdu-daegan | |
| National sport | Taekwondo | ||
| National dish | Kimchi | ||
| National liquor | Makgeolli | ||