Seal of South Korea
{{Short description|National seal of South Korea}}
{{Confused|Emblem of South Korea}}
{{Infobox coat of arms
|name = National Seal of the Republic of Korea
{{lang|ko|대한민국의 국새}}
|image = Seal of South Korea.svg
|image_width =
|middle =
|middle_width =
|middle_caption =
|lesser =
|lesser_width =
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|armiger = {{flag|Republic of Korea}}
|year_adopted = {{start date and age|df=yes|2011|10|25}}
|crest =
|torse =
|shield =
|supporters =
|compartment =
|motto = 대한민국
(Republic of Korea)
|orders =
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|use =
}}
The National Seal of the Republic of Korea ({{Korean|hangul=대한민국의 국새|hanja=大韓民國의 國璽|=Daehanmingugui guksae|mr=Taehanmin'gugŭi kuksae}}) is a governmental seal used for purposes of state in South Korea.{{cite journal |last=Cheon|first=Jingi|title=Guksae (State Seal) Consummate Work of Korea's Master Craftsmen|journal=Koreana|volume=22|url=http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/2008/2008_SUMMER_E044.pdf|date=Summer 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722141305/http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/2008/2008_SUMMER_E044.pdf|archive-date=22 July 2011|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://rki.kbs.co.kr/french/news/news_zoom_detail.htm?No=1432&font_size=7&id=|title=Pembuatan Segel Nasional Korea Selatan yang baru|trans-title=The Making of a new South Korea National Seal|language=id|publisher=KBS World (Indonesian TV channel)|date=14 February 2006|access-date=2 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306021746/http://rki.kbs.co.kr/french/news/news_zoom_detail.htm?No=1432&font_size=7&id=|archive-date=6 March 2012|url-status=dead}} The seal is carved with characters called injang.
Since the late 20th century, the seal's design consists of South Korea's official name written in hangeul inside of a square; during the mid-20th century hanja in Seal Script were used.
History
Following the establishment of the South Korean state in August 1948, its government adopted on 5 May 1949 a new state seal, or guksae ({{Langx|ko|국새}}). It is used in promulgation of constitutions, designation of cabinet members and ambassadors, conference of national orders and important diplomatic documents.{{cite book|url=http://www.mois.go.kr/cmm/fms/FileDown.do?atchFileId=FILE_000000000008139&fileSn=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806220754/http://www.mois.go.kr/cmm/fms/FileDown.do?atchFileId=FILE_000000000008139&fileSn=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-08-06|title=National Symbols of the Republic of Korea: Uniting People and Elevating National Pride|date=2017|access-date=6 August 2017|publisher=Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Korea|location=Seoul|pages=12–13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mois.go.kr/frt/sub/a06/b08/nationalIcon_5_3/screen.do|title=국가상징|language=ko|publisher=Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Korea|access-date=2024-08-02}}
The seal's design has been modified multiple times over the years. The first version of the seal, used until the early 1960s, used Hanja characters {{Lang|ko|大韓民國之璽}}{{efn|{{Korean|hangul=대한민국지새|rr=Daehanmingukjisae}}}}, it was made of silver, and topped by a sapsali for knob.{{cite web|url=http://korea.pa.go.kr/newsWeb/appmanager/portal/news?_nfpb=true&portlet_categorynews_2_actionOverride=%2Fpages%2Fbrief%2FcategoryNews%2Fview&_windowLabel=portlet_categorynews_2&portlet_categorynews_2newsDataId=100083334&portlet_categorynews_2category_id=p_mini_news&portlet_categorynews_2currPage=&_pageLabel=news_page_02|title=사라진 대한민국 첫 국새 찾아라|language=ko|publisher=Presidential Archives|date=2005-10-28|access-date=2024-07-28}} Later, the lettering was changed to use only Hangeul characters, and the knob was redesigned as turtle. The third seal the knob was designed as two phoenixes and a hibiscus syriacus, and made of gold. The fourth seal featured phoenix only for knob. The fifth seal again featured two phoenixes and a hibiscus syriacus at the top.{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.go.kr/theme/next/symbolKorea/viewGreatSeal1.do|title=3대 국새 둘러보기|language=ko|publisher=National Archives of Korea|access-date=2024-08-08}}{{cite web|url=https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=1469865|title='대한민국 국새' 경남 산청서 시험 날인|language=ko|publisher=KBS|date=2007-12-03|access-date=2024-08-08}}
The current seal is the fifth version and was designed in September 2011, being adopted in October 2011.
Gallery
Seal of the Republic of Korea (1949–1962).svg|First national seal (1949–1962)
Seal of the Republic of Korea (1963–1999).svg|Second national seal (1963–1999)
Seal of South Korea (1999–2008, 2010–2011).svg|Third national seal (1999–2008, 2010–2011)
Seal of South Korea (2008–2010).svg|Fourth national seal (2008–2010)
Seal of South Korea.svg|Fifth national seal (since 2011)
Seal of South Korea (1958).jpg|Seal knob of the first national seal
Seal of South Korea (1963).jpg|Seal knob of the second national seal
Seal of South Korea (1999).jpg|Seal knob of the third national seal
Seal of South Korea (2008).jpg|Seal knob of the fourth national seal
Seal of South Korea (photograph).jpg|Seal knob of the fifth national seal
See also
Notes
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