The red star and the central red panel of the flag symbolize socialism and the revolutionary spirit. The blue stripes at the top and bottom represent the desire for sovereignty and peace, while the white signifies purity.

This flag was adopted in 1948, after the division of Korea. It was created to symbolize the new political system, breaking away from the Taegeukgi design that both the South and North had used previously. Therefore, its historical and design background is completely different from the South Korean flag (Taegeukgi).