South Korea’s national anthem is “Aegukga,” a title meaning “The Patriotic Song.”
The lyrics are traditionally attributed to Yun Chi-ho or An Chang-ho, although the authorship has been debated. The melody was composed by Ahn Eak-tai in 1935. The song was used by Korean independence activists before the establishment of the Republic of Korea.
South Korea adopted “Aegukga” as its national anthem in 1948, when the republic was founded. Its lyrics describe Korea’s landscape and express loyalty to the nation rather than praising a particular political leader.
A major source of confusion is that North Korea also has a patriotic national anthem, but it is titled “Aegukka,” with different lyrics and music. The similar Korean titles reflect related language, not identical national symbols.