Aegukga

Aegukga is also the name of the national anthem of North Korea. See Aegukka.

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 toward 1900s by Yun Chi-ho, 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 Colonial Period (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 the Republic of Korea on 15 August 1948, some three years after liberation from Japanese rule. It was adopted the same year.

Lyric

	Korean	Korean with hanja	Roman transliteration
1	동해물과 백두산이 마르고 닳도록 하느님이 보우하사 우리 나라만세	東海물과 白頭山이 마르고 닳도록 하느님이 保佑하사 우리 나라萬歲	Donghae mulgwa Baekdusani mareugo daltorok Haneunimi bo-uhasa uri nara manse
2	남산 위에 저 소나무 철갑을 두른 듯 바람 서리 불변함은 우리 기상일세	南山 위에 저 소나무 鐵甲을 두른 듯 바람 서리 不變함은 우리 氣象일세	Namsan wie jeosonamu cheolgabeul dureun deut Baram seori bulbyeonhameun uri gisangilse
3	가을 하늘 공활한데 높고 구름 없이 밝은 달은 우리 가슴 일편단심일세	가을 하늘 空豁한데 높고 구름 없이 밝은 달은 우리 가슴 一片丹心일세	Gaeul haneul gonghwalhande nopgo gureum eopsi Balgeun dareun uri gaseum ilpyeondansimilse
4	이기상과 이맘으로 충성을 다하여 괴로우나 즐거우나 나라 사랑하세	이 氣象과 이 맘으로 忠誠을 다하여 괴로우나 즐거우나 나라 사랑하세	Igisanggwa imameuro chungseongeul dahayeo Goerouna jeulgeouna nara saranghase
Refrain	무궁화 삼천리 화려강산 대한사람 대한으로 길이 보전하세	無窮花 三千里 華麗江山 大韓사람 大韓으로 길이 保全하세	Mugunghwa samcheolli hwaryeogangsan Daehansaram daehaneuro giri bojeonhase

	English translation 1	English translation 2
1	Until the East Sea's waves are dry, (and) Mt. Baekdu worn away, God watch o'er our land forever, our nation eternal!	May the waters of East Sea and Mt.Baekdu dry and wither, Heaven shall guard us, viva la nation.
2	Like a Mt. Namsan armored pine, standing on duty still, wind or frost, unchanging ever, be our resolute will.	Like armoured pinetree of Mt. Nam Standing still storm and frost, be our spirit.
3	In autumn's, arching evening sky, crystal and cloudless blue, be the radiant moon our spirit, steadfast, single and true.	Arching sky of autumn, high and clear. Radiating moon in our heart, single and true.
4	With such a will, (and) such a spirit, loyalty, heart and hand, let us love, come grief, come gladness, this our beloved land!	Be in joyness or in peril, we shall love the nation With the spirit and heart of ours.
Refrain	Rose of Sharon, thousand miles of range and river land! Guarded by her people, ever may Korea stand!	Hibiscus, over three thousand miles, O beautiful land, People of Korea, ever may preserve her.

Copyright issues

Since the lyrics was written in the 19th century, it should be in the public domain without a doubt. However, the composer Ahn Eak-tae died in 1965, therefore, the copyright of this unofficial national anthem's music will not expire at least until 2015. Two Korean professional soccer teams were sued by a copyrightholders' group over their unauthorized public playing of this song in December 2003 (see ja:大韓民国の国歌 and copyright infringement). Many websites were forced to stop playing this song. Since the composer's surviving widow, Lolita Ahn, and her family relinquished all rights of Aegukga to the Korean government in March 2005, the problem is expected to settle down.

See also

• List of Korea-related topics

External links

• MIDI File
• MP3 file (complete song)
• South Korean government article
• The 2003 copyright infringement lawsuit against two soccer teams (in Korean)
• Trying to write Aegukga in pure native Korean
• A history of Aegukga written by the South Korean government (also includes vocal performances and the sheet music)