Pyongyang:North Korea has revised its constitution to alter the aspect ratio of its national flag for the first time since the country's establishment in 1948. This change is detailed in the amended basic law posted on the website of Pyongyang's propaganda outlet.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Article 166 of the revised constitution available on Naenara's website specifies that the new ratio of the flag's height to its width is 1 to 1.65, replacing the previous ratio of 1 to 2. This constitutional revision occurred in September 2023.
The move aligns with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's efforts to forge his own governing style and national identity while maintaining certain traditions from his predecessors. Despite the change in aspect ratio, the flag's overall design remains the same, featuring a broad red stripe in the center, with narrow white stripes above and below, blue stripes on the outer edges, and a red five-pointed star within a white circle.
The constitution describes the red stripe as representing the blood of anti-Japan fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country's freedom during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. The white circle and stripes symbolize loyalty to the nation's leader and the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, while the blue stripes signify the revolutionary spirit of the people striving for peace, friendship, unity, and national sovereignty.
Observers suggest that altering the flag's aspect ratio may reflect Pyongyang's attempt to create a new national image under Kim Jong-un, the third-generation hereditary leader.