The Korean flag is called "Taeguek," which means "the origin of all things in the Universe."

The red and blue portions of the circle in the middle symbolize the "um" and "yang" (yin and yang) theory of eternal duality, the interaction of positive and negative forces.

The four bar designs or "gye" in the corners of the flag are based on this um and yang principle. The location of the four gye represent the four points of the compass. "Ee-gye," in the lower-left corner, indicates dawn and early sunlight as the sun rises in the East. "Kyn-gye," in the upper-left corner, represents bright sunshine when the sun is directly overhead in the South at mid-day. "Kam-gye," in the upper-right corner, symbolizes twilight as the sun sets in the West. "Kon-gye," in the lower-right corner, represents darkness when the sun is out of sight in the North.