The red colour of the flag symbolises the anti-Japanese fervour, the red blood shed by the Korean patriots and the invincible might of our people firmly united to support the Republic. The white colour symbolises the one bloodline, one land, one language, one culture of our monoethnic country, which lived in purity. And blue stands for the gallant visage of our people, symbolising the spirit of the Korean people fighting for world peace and progress.
It is possible that the original designer of the flag had a vertical design in mind. In the vertically hoisted flag the blue stripes would symbolize the West Sea of Korea (Yellow Sea) and East Sea of Korea (Sea of Japan) surrounding the red Korean Peninsula that is illuminated by the communist star.