
Symbolizing Gangwon’s active and abundant development Each color signifies one of Gangwon’s various elements (emboding the image of the province and the harmony of its residents)
- The Blue ellipse represents the earth, the home of the comfortable mind
- Green represents the clean, beautiful natural environment
- Yellow stands for everlasting historical and cultural environment, signifying the harmony of nature and culture through the stabilizing shape of a square
- The White leaf shows the residents’ promise for new challenges
Ban-B is the animal-symbol of Gangwon-do. Formed of a friendly and faithful image personifying an Asiatic black bear, it means "a bear flying to the future, the world and national re-unification."
The English Signature of Gangwondo, Lively Gangwon, symbolizes Gangwondo's active and lively energy. The colors, green and blue, express beautiful natural environment and clean ocean of East sea.
Our official flower is the Royal Azalea (Rhododendron Schlippenba-chii Max.) Reddish-pink Royal Azalea flowers symbolize the pleasures of love. They cover most of the mountains and hills in Gangwon-do in May, adding more even beauty to our majestic natural landscape.
Our official tree is the Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis S. et Z.). As the best tree grown naturally within the province, it is an ever-green tree that can grow well in cool areas. Many of these pine trees are planted by foresters for their nuts and for lumber, which is very useful and profitable.
Our official bird is the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis). This beautiful crane is one of ten traditional symbols of Longevity, and is also thought to manifest the dignified virtues of Confucian scholars and Buddhist monks. Their minds seem to be proud in loneliness, and thus are in correspondence with the pure and clean character of Gangwon people. They mainly inhabit the Cheorwon and Yanggu border areas, coming and going freely between South and North Gangwon and are thus symbols of peace and national re-unification.
Our official animal is the Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus), characterized by its glossy black fur and a white half-moon pattern on its upper chest. Some of these bears live in the Seorak-san and Odae-san National Parks, and others are found in the DMZ areas.