"Aegukka" (Korean: 애국가; say: eh-GООK-gah), officially translated as "Patriotic Song", is the national anthem of North Korea. To celebrate the country's independence from Japan, it was written by Pak Se-yong and composed by Kim Won-gyun, then it was adopted in 1947 shortly after.[1]
It should not be confused with South Korea's national anthem, which has the same name but uses a different romanisation scheme. It is sometimes also known by the first bit of the song, "Achhimŭn pinnara" (아침은 빛나라), meaning "Let Morning Shine".
아침은 빛나라 이 강산
은금에 자원도 가득한
이 세상 아름다운 내 조국
반만년 오랜 력사에
𝄆 찬란한 문화로 자라난
슬기론 인민의 이 영광
몸과 맘 다 바쳐 이 조선
길이 받드세 𝄇
백두산 기상을 다 안고
근로의 정신은 깃들어
진리로 뭉쳐진 억센 뜻
온 세계 앞서 나가리
𝄆 솟는 힘 노도도 내밀어
인민의 뜻으로 선 나라
한없이 부강하는 이 조선
길이 빛내세 𝄇
Ach'imŭn pinnara i kangsan
Ŭn'gŭme chawŏndo kadŭkhan
Yi sesang arŭmdaun nae choguk
Panmannyŏn oraen ryŏksaë
𝄆 Ch'allanhan munhwaro charanan
Sŭlgiron inminŭi i yŏnggwang
Momgwa mam ta pach'yŏ i Chosŏn
Kiri pattŭse 𝄇
Paektusan kisangŭl ta anko
Kŭlloŭi chŏngsinŭn kittŭrŏ
Chilliro mungch'yŏjin ŏksen ttŭt
On segye apsŏ nagari
𝄆 Sonnŭn him nododo naemirŏ
Inminŭi ttŭsŭro sŏn nara
Hanŏpsi puganghanŭn i Chosŏn
Kiri pinnaese 𝄇
Shine bright, you dawn, on this land so fair,
This world, my beautiful homeland
So rich in silver and in gold you are,
Five thousand years of your history.
𝄆 Our people ever were renowned and sage,
And rich in cultural heritage,
And as with heart and soul, we strive,
Korea shall forever thrive! 𝄇
And in the spirit of Mount Paektu,
With the love of toil that shall never die,
With a will of iron fostered by the truth,
We'll lead the whole world by and by.
𝄆 We have the might to foil the angry sea,
Our land more prosperous still shall be,
As by the people's will we strive,
Korea shall forever thrive! 𝄇