The Flags
At a Songahm Taekwondo class there are always three flags o the wall (in order, from left to right):
- The Portuguese Flag
-
The WTTU Flagh
- The South-Korean Flag
The Portuguese Flag
Flag Position
On National territory (including embassies), the Portuguese flag has always an honour position, namely:
1) If inserted in an even group of flags, it is the first from the left (when facing the flags);
2) If inserted in an odd group of flags, it should be placed in the middle;
3) If there are many flags and they are not displayed in a straight line, it should also be the first one from the left (when facing the flags);
Flag Composition
The green side occupies 2/5 of the flag and should be on the same side as the pole;
The red side occupies 3/5 of the flag;
Flag Dimensions
The Flag's length should be one and a half times its height.
The central banner is half the flag's height, and should be placed in a position equidistant both from the top and the bottom of the flag.
Flag Origin (translated from the National Defence Ministry website)
The Portuguese National Flag was approved by National Assembly decree, on June 19, 1911.
The flags composition was decided by a selected commission which established the following elements:
WHITE: "represents a brotherly colour, in which all the other colours merge, a colour of simplicity, harmony and peace" e above it "dotted by the Quinas (...) in which the first rough battles for the Portuguese Nation were fought (...). Then it is the same white colour that fuelled with enthusiasm and faith, by Christ's red cross, marks the epic cycle of our (Portuguese) sea adventures and discoveries”.
RED: "it must appear as one of the essential colours, because it is a combative colour, warm, manly, by excellence. It is the colour of conquest and laughter. A singing colour, fiery, joyful (...) It remembers the blood and encourages victory."
GREEN: The Colour of Hope, which was hard for the commission to justify its inclusion in the flag. It is in fact a colour that had no historic tradition, with the commission coming up with an explanation for it in the preparation and execution on the Rebellion that occurred in January 31, 1891, when the colour green arose in the "decisive moment in which, under the inflamed reverberation of the revolutionary flag, the Portuguese People made spark dawn's redeeming lightning".
ARMILLARY SPHERE: A personal banner of King Manuel I, it consecrates the "epic Portuguese journeys through the seas (...) a defining deed, essential in our collective lives".
WHITE SHIELD/QUINAS: "the human miracle of positive bravery, tenacity, diplomacy and audacity which was able to tie the first links of social and political affirmation of the Portuguese Nationality".
SEVEN CASTLES: One of the most "energetic symbols of integrity and national independence". They represent the Portuguese victories over its enemies.
The WTTU Flag
The Flag symbolizes the federation to which the country belongs.
The federation flag is always placed in the middle, at a Songahm Taekwondo class.
Portugal is part of the World Traditional Taekwondo Union, a branch of the Songahm Taekwondo Family which encompasses all the member schools that are not included in the ATA (American Taekwondo Association - United States Only) and the STF (Songahm Taekwondo Federation - South America Only).
For more info on WTTU check the Organizations page or click here.
The South-Korean Flag
Flag Position
When inserted in an odd group of flags, it must be placed in the middle.
When inserted in a even group of flags, it must be the first one from the left (when facing the flags)
Flag History and its Name
The origins of the Korean flag go back to 1882, at the moment when a Commerce Treaty, between Korea and the United States was celebrated (during the reign of King Gojong).
At that time Korea chose a red and blue circle that represents the Yin and the Yang, against Chinese opinion, which suggested the use of a dragon.
That circle is called taegeuk, and for some time it was Koreas National Flag.
Later the 8 trigrams were added. The trigrams are combinations of continuous and broken lines, placed around the taegeuk, creating the Taegeuki.
On September, 1882, King Gojong named Bak Yeoung-hyo ambassador to Japan.
During his stay, Bak Yeoung-hyo designed a flag, but he included only 4 trigrams instead of 8, and used that set as a Flag in that same month.
On October 3, Bak Yeoung-hyo comunicated the change to King Gojong, which formally announced the new flag on March 6, 1883.
It was only after the foundation of the Republic of Korea, on August 15, 1948, that the Government felt the need to regulate the construction of the flag, naming a commission for that purpose on January, 1949.
The result of the commission's work was the definitive adoption of the Taegeuki as Korea's National Flag, on October 15, 1949.