Aegukga is the national anthem of South Korea. The title literally means "The Song of Love for the Country," or "The Patriotic Song." It is believed that the lyrics were written around 1900 by Yun Chiho, a politician, or by An Chang-ho, a pro-independence leader and educator. Initially, Aegukga was sung to the Scottish folk tune "Auld Lang Syne." During the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), the song was banned, but overseas Koreans continued to sing it, expressing their yearnings for national independence. In 1937, Ahn Eak-tae, an internationally noted Korean musician based in Spain, composed the music for Aegukga. His work was officially adopted by the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (1919-1945) in Shanghai, China. Aegukga was sung at a ceremony celebrating the founding of South Korea on 15 August 1948, some three years after liberation from Japanese rule. It was adopted the same year.

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Lyrics

Korean

1 I
µ¿ÇØ š°°ú šéµÎ»êÀÌ ¸¶¸£°í ´âµµ·Ï
ÇÏ´À´ÔÀÌ º¸¿ìÇÏ»ç ¿ì¸®³ª¶ó ¸¸¼¼
2 II
³²»ê À§¿¡ Àú ¼Ò³ªš« ö°ŠÀ» µÎ¸¥ µí
šÙ¶÷¼­¸® ºÒº¯ÇÔÀº ¿ì¸® ±â»óÀϼ¼
3 III
°¡À» ÇÏ´Ã °øÈ°Çѵ¥ ³ô°í ±¸¸§ ¾øÀÌ
šàÀº ´ÞÀº ¿ì¸® °¡½¿ ÀÏÆí´Ü½ÉÀϼ¼
4 IV
ÀÌ ±â»ó°ú ÀÌ ¸¾À¸·Î Ã漺À» ´ÙÇÏ¿Š
±«·Î¿ì³ª Áñ°Å¿ì³ª ³ª¶ó »ç¶ûÇϼ¼
Refrain
š«±ÃÈ­ »ïõ¸® È­·Á°­»ê
´ëÇÑ»ç¶÷ ´ëÇÑÀ¸·Î ±æÀÌ º¸ÀüÇϼ¼

Korean with hanja

I
ÔÔú­ š°°ú ÛÜÔéߣÀÌ ¸¶¸£°í ´âµµ·Ï
ÇÏ´À´ÔÀÌ ÜÁéÎÇÏ»ç ¿ì¸®³ª¶ó Ø¿á¨
II
Ñõߣ À§¿¡ Àú ¼Ò³ªš« ôÑË£À» µÎ¸¥ µí
šÙ¶÷¼­¸® ÜôܨÇÔÀº ¿ì¸® ѨßÀÀϼ¼
III
°¡À» ÇÏ´Ã ÍöüÃÇѵ¥ ³ô°í ±¸¸§ ¾øÀÌ
šàÀº ´ÞÀº ¿ì¸® °¡½¿ ìéø¸Ó¡ãýÀϼ¼
IV
ÀÌ Ñ¨ßÀ°ú ÀÌ ¸¾À¸·Î õ÷á¤À» ´ÙÇÏ¿Š
±«·Î¿ì³ª Áñ°Å¿ì³ª ³ª¶ó »ç¶ûÇϼ¼
Refrain
ÙíÏãü£ ß²ô¶×ì ü¤Õò˰ߣ
ÓÞùÛ»ç¶÷ ÓÞùÛÀ¸·Î ±æÀÌ ÜÁîïÇϼ¼



Revised Romanization

I
Donghae mulgwa Baekdusani mareugo daltorok
Haneunimi bouhasa urinara manse
II
Namsan wie jeo sonamu cheolgabeul dureun deut
Baram seori bulbyeonhameun uri gisangilse
III
Ga-eul haneul gonghwalhande nopgo gureum eopsi
Balgeun dareun uri gaseum ilpyeondansimilse
IV
I gisanggwa i mameuro chungseong-eul dahayeo
Goerouna jeulgeouna nara saranghase
Refrain
Mugunghwa samcheolli hwaryeogangsan
Daehansaram daehaneuro giri bojeonhase

English translation

I
Until the East Sea's waters and Baekdu Mountain are dry and worn away,
Heaven-god protects, our nation eternal!
II
As that pinetree atop Namsan is wrapped in armour,
wind or frost, our spirit is unchangeable.
III
Autumn sky, a vast void high and cloudless,
the bright moon is our heart, single and true.
IV
With this spirit and this mind, give all loyalty,
in suffering or in joy, love the country.
Refrain
Rose of Sharon, three thousand li of splendid rivers and mountains,
Great Han People, let us long preserve the Great Han.