"Is the Taegeukgi torn?"
Giant flag assembled in pieces for the 80th Liberation Day
52 meters wide, 34 meters tall... Installation done by joining sections
"Huh? Is the Taegeukgi flag torn?" "Is it hung properly?"
On the morning of the 11th, four days before the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, workers spent several hours hanging a giant Taegeukgi flag on the front of the Government Seoul Office Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
According to government ministries and agencies on the 11th, the Taegeukgi flag hung on the front of the Government Seoul Office Building that day measured 52 meters wide and 34 meters tall. This is large enough to cover 10 out of the building's 20 floors. Due to its immense size, the flag was made by dividing it vertically into four sections. If it were made as a single piece, the weight would be so great that it could threaten the safety of those installing it on the building.
A giant Taegeukgi flag is hung on the outer wall of the Government Seoul Office Building on the 11th, four days before Liberation Day. Photo by Yonhap News
Because the workers were handling the flag in pieces, some onlookers misunderstood what was happening. Citizens who saw the unfinished flag being hung commented, "It looks like the Taegeukgi is torn," or "Isn't it hung while folded?"
On the 11th, a large Taegeukgi flag was hung on the outer wall of the Government Seoul Office Building, with a torn Taegeukgi flag caught during the process. Photo by Yonhap News
The installation work continued throughout the day. Three to four workers began lowering the fabric from the rooftop of the building early in the morning, and it was only after the morning had passed that the four-section Taegeukgi flag finally took its proper shape. An official from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety explained, "If a giant Taegeukgi is made from a single piece of fabric, it becomes too heavy and poses a high risk to the safety of the workers," adding, "For large banners like this, it is common to make them in several pieces and then attach them together during installation."
To mark the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day this year, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is hanging eight types of giant Taegeukgi flags on the outer walls of nine buildings located in central areas of Seoul, including Gwanghwamun. The purpose of this project is to share with citizens the evolving appearance of the Taegeukgi throughout history and to reflect together on the meaning of liberation.
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