COUNTRY PROFILE: NORTH KOREA
Independence: August 15, 1945, from Japan; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea founded September 9, 1948.
NATIONAL Public Holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1), Kim Jong Il’s Birthday (February 16–17), International Women’s Day (March 8), Day of the Sun (Kim Il Sung’s Birthday, April 15–16), Army Day (April 25), International Workers’ Day (May 1), Fatherland Liberation War Victory Day (July 27), National Liberation Day (August 15), Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Founding Day (September 9), Korean Workers’ Party Founding Day (October 10), and Constitution Day (December 27). Also celebrated are Lunar New Year’s Day (variable date in January or February), Surinal (spring festival, variable date in April or May, formerly called Tano or Dano), and Han’gawi (autumn festival, September 28–30, formerly called Ch’us4k).
Flag:
The North Korean flag has three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red
band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star.