Korean People's Army (North Korea)

Last modified: 2014-05-29 by zoltán horváth
Keywords: north korea | army flag | navy flag | air force flag | red star | rice panicles |
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Obverse      image by Miles Li, 11 December 2011

Obverse      image by Miles Li, 11 December 2011

• Description
• Previously Reported Variant

See also:

• Korean People's Navy (North Korea)
• Korean People's Army Air Force (North Korea)
• Korean People's Armed Forces (North Korea)
• Worker-Peasant Red Guards (North Korea)
• Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (North Korea)
• North Korea

The flag of the KPA appears to be a variant on the North Korean national flag. The blue of the national flag is black, and the red star is surrounded by a gold circle and with golden leaves beneath it. In the canton of the red part of the flag are the numbers "4.25" in gold, probably for 25 April, the anniversary of the founding of the KPA. There is Hangul writing in gold in both the upper and lower black portions of the flag.
Randy Young, 09 Feb 2005

The obverse shows (instead of the party emblem) a red star on a white disc, surrounded by a golden wreath of rice, and has a half-wreath at the bottom. At the canton (within the red part of the army colour) there is the date "4.25" in yellow; Hangul letters at the top and at the bottom of both sides (in yellow except for those at the top of the naval colour, which are blue). The writings seem to vary among different flags. All the colours have yellow fringes, cords and tassels, and are borne on red flagpoles with brass spearhead finials.
Miles Li, 11 and 15 Feb 2005

This image of a North Korean propaganda poster shows three well known flags: party, national, and army (obverse) — however two of them in seemingly variant depictions:
The party flag seems to be colored in a shade of red slightly darken than the national flag. (Maybe nothing but the artist’s attempt to avoid it disappearing against the background?) The Army flag (obverse) shows yellow writings on the blue stripes (very relevant variant) and golden fringe (probably irrelevant).
António Martins-Tuválkin, 02 August 2010

The mottoes read: "The Unification and Independence of the Motherland" (top) and "For the Freedom and Liberation of the People" (bottom).
Miles Li, 11 December 2011

The unit names are written in Hangul on the reverse side. All the colours have yellow fringes, cords and tassels, and are borne on red flagpoles with brass spearhead finials.
Miles Li, 07 November 2012

National flag with yellow fringe and Army emblem towards hoist instead of the red star. Hangul inscription in yellow on blue stripes:

Revolutionary leaders headed by great comrade Kim Jong Il
Let's defend them to the death!