Pak Se-yong


Pak Se-yong was a North Korean poet and politician, best known for writing the lyrics of "Aegukka", the national anthem of North Korea.

Early life

Pak, a native of Goyang, Gyeonggi-do in what is now South Korea, crossed over to the Soviet-controlled northern half of the Korean Peninsula in 1946.

In politics

Pak became involved in North Korean politics from the country's earliest days. In 1948 he became a member of the Supreme People's Assembly. In May 1954, he was named a member of the central committee of the General League of Culture and Art. In October 1956, he was elevated to the standing committee of the Writers League. In 1961, he became a member of the central committee of the newly created Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.

Poetry

Pak finished writing the lyrics of "Aegukka" in June 1947. Other representative works of his include the lyric poems "The sunrise at Poch'onbo", "History of Millim", and "When a fire is lit in the heart".