In 2026, a 25-story (100-meter) tall Taegeukgi pole (the national flag of Korea) will be installed in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea. A large Taeguekgi will be featured at the top of the pole.
It will be the tallest flagpole in Korea, even higher than the Seoul Government Complex (19 floors), which is located near Gwanghwamun Square. On social media, opinions are mixed, with some saying it will boost patriotism while others believe it doesn’t fit the aesthetic of Gwanghwamun Square.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon met with Korean War veterans on the morning of June 25. and announced plans to create a national symbol space in Gwanghwamun Square. This announcement was made during a meeting with the veterans on the 74th anniversary of the Korean War. The Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Presidential Commission on Architecture Policy, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport have been discussing the plan since September last year.
At the meeting, Mayor Oh stated, “Thanks to the noble sacrifices and dedication of the Korean War veterans, South Korea enjoys freedom and peace today. To honor their noble intentions and ensure we never forget their sacrifices, we will erect a national symbol (the flagpole) and an “Unextinguishable Flame” at Gwanghwamun Square, allowing all South Koreans to feel a sense of pride.”
According to the plan announced by Mayor Oh, the flagpole-shaped sculpture at Gwanghwamun Square will be up to 3 meters in diameter and 100 meters high. Currently, the tallest flagpole in the country is the 99.8-meter-high flagpole in the “Freedom Village” in Daeseong-dong, Paju, Gyeonggi-do, which is slightly shorter. The plan is to fly a flag that is 21 meters wide by 14 meters tall.
At the base of the flagpole, a 15-meter-high “media façade” will be installed, surrounding the flagpole. “Citizens walking through the square will be able to see various media works such as laser shows,” said a Seoul Metropolitan Government official. The installation will be located at the border of Sejongno Park and Gwanghwamun Square, in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and behind the statue of King Sejong the Great.
In front of the flagpole, an “Unextinguishable flame” will be installed, burning 24 hours a day with gas. Similar flames are installed at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, and Liberty Park in New York, U.S. “The Unextinguishable Flame symbolizes patriotism and immortality,” said a Seoul official, “It means that we remember the patriotic spirit of our ancestors and pray for the perpetuation of Korea.”
Pine trees from eight regions of the country will be planted around the flagpole. At the site of the current Sejongno Park, a building with six underground floors and one above-ground floor will be constructed, along with a food court and an underground parking lot.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to hold a design competition this year, break ground next May next year, and complete the project by 2026. The estimated cost of building the flagpole and the flame is about 11 billion won, or $7.91 millio.
“The flag is most familiar to the Korean people and has served as the centerpiece of national unity at every moment of history, including the liberation of Korea in 1945, the restoration of Seoul in 1950, the June 10 Struggle in 1987, and the 2002 World Cup,” said a Seoul Metropolitan Government official. According to an August 2022 survey of 1,000 adults nationwide by polling firm Hankook Research, 85% of respondents said they had “positive feelings about the flag.”
However, reactions online during the announcement included comments like, “Does hanging the flag make you feel proud of the country?” “It’s too big and makes me feel uncomfortable,” and “I’m worried that Gwanghwamun Square will become a political place.”
