South Korea's national flag will take center stage in this year's Liberation Day celebrations, the Seoul metropolitan government said Sunday.

The municipal authorities and ward officials said they will prominently use the Taegeukgi, South Korea's flag, to highlight the people's love of their country and liberation from the oppressive Japanese colonial rule (1910-45).

"The goal is to cover the city with a wave of Taegeukgi to mark the national holiday that falls on Monday," a Seoul city official said. He pointed out that the city's wards are all taking part in this movement.

Taegeukgi is comprised of a red and blue roundel on a while field with the four corners decorated by so-called trigams. The flag symbolizes harmony, peace, purity, and the "four classic elements" of the heaven, sun, moon and earth.



An enlarged version of the flag used by freedom fighters that fought Japanese occupiers has been set up at the outer wall at city hall. The flag is signed with the names of 70 fighters who also expressed their firm resolve to liberate the country from Japanese rule and give up their lives for the fatherland.

In addition, a floral version of the national flag measuring 5.2 meters tall and 7 m wide has been erected at the Gwanghwamun thoroughfare in downtown Seoul. This is decorated with more than 9,000 flowers of all types.

The city authorities then said that they plan to advance the national flag spirit further this year by hosting a bicycle event at parks along the Han River where people will be given small Taegeukgis that they can put on their bikes. It said some 2,000 flags will be distributed on Monday with bikers given the option of selecting from three trails: 18 kilometers, 51 km and 80 km.

Besides the city, Gangnam, Songpa, Yongsan and other wards have kicked off their own flag campaigns to get people to hoist people in their homes and buildings.

Gangnam ward, south of the Han River, has launched a drive to have the Taegeukgi hoisted on 90 percent of all homes and buildings in its jurisdiction.

Others have set up pinwheels using the national flag motif and have erected a tunnel made from painted gourds. Some are planning to allow citizens to walk and wave flags in celebration along boulevards blocked to traffic.

In addition, Lotte Tower, which will be South Korea's highest skyscraper when it opens next year, has been displaying a 20-by-20-m flag on its outer wall since last week, with a slogan of encouragement to the people. (Yonhap)