The National Foundation Day is the day when a memorial service is held in commemoration of the birthday of Tangun, ancestral father of the Korean nation.
Tangun is the founder of Ancient Joson which was built in the early 30 century B.C. and existed for nearly 3,000 years.
The Korean history started with the foundation of the first state--Ancient Joson. With the establishment of Ancient Joson, the Korean nation put an end to its long primitive ages and entered the era of statehood, the era of civilization, for the first time in the East.
Tangun was born in today's Pyongyang. His remains were discovered at the Mausoleum of King Tangun in Kangdong County of Pyongyang in Juche 82(1993).
Tangun was born and grew up when there were frequent intertribal wars for more wealth.
He distinguished himself in martial arts and gradually had a great ambition to transform and change the society.
After he became the chief of a tribe, following in the footsteps of his father, he gradually reformed and developed the primitive political mechanisms into violent ones to control antagonism between classes and between tribes. On the basis of such social change, he founded a state for the first time with Pyongyang as its capital. The name of the state built at that time was called Joson. It is now called Ancient Joson in order to distinguish it from the feudal Joson dynasty built afterwards.
Kim Sol Gyong, Researcher of the History Institute under the Academy of Social Sciences, says:
"The Korean nation worshipped Tangun as the ancestral father and held a memorial service for him on the National Foundation Day annually.
According to the custom, a memorial service for Tangun is held at the Mausoleum of King Tangun every year."
The memorial service for Tangun serves as an occasion of increasing the pride of the Korean nation with a long history and culture.
October 3 is the birthday of Tangun.
More From Voice of Korea (EN)
The third-day sitting of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea took place on February 21. Comrade Kim Jong Un
February 22, 2026
The third-day sitting of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea took place on February 21. Comrade Kim Jong Un
One day in December 2016, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un gave field guidance to the remodelled December 6 Children's Union Camp
February 21, 2026
One day in December 2016, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un gave field guidance to the remodelled December 6 Children's Union Camp
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam recently sent a message of greetings to the Ninth Congress of the
February 21, 2026
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam recently sent a message of greetings to the Ninth Congress of the
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation recently sent a message of greetings to the Central
February 21, 2026
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation recently sent a message of greetings to the Central
The Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party recently sent a message of greetings to the Central Committee of the
February 21, 2026
The Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party recently sent a message of greetings to the Central Committee of the
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a kind spread to Pak Sung In, wartime meritorious person, living in Chonggye-dong No. 3,
February 21, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a kind spread to Pak Sung In, wartime meritorious person, living in Chonggye-dong No. 3,
North Hwanghae Province built the Provincial Agricultural Management Cadres School and the Kyongam Plastic Building-Materials
February 21, 2026
North Hwanghae Province built the Provincial Agricultural Management Cadres School and the Kyongam Plastic Building-Materials
The industrial art exhibition for celebrating February 16 under the theme "New Era of Regional Transformation and Industrial Art"
February 21, 2026
The industrial art exhibition for celebrating February 16 under the theme "New Era of Regional Transformation and Industrial Art"
A new era of regional development has been ushered in in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The respected Comrade Kim Jong
February 21, 2026
A new era of regional development has been ushered in in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The respected Comrade Kim Jong
The Light Industry Research Institute under the Ministry of Light Industry is concentrating efforts on the work to make valuable
February 21, 2026
The Light Industry Research Institute under the Ministry of Light Industry is concentrating efforts on the work to make valuable
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was presented with a cloth ornament as gift by the embassy of the Republic of Fiji in China on
February 21, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was presented with a cloth ornament as gift by the embassy of the Republic of Fiji in China on
Meetings were held in Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Switzerland, France, Serbia and Mexico on the occasion of the 84th birth
February 21, 2026
Meetings were held in Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Switzerland, France, Serbia and Mexico on the occasion of the 84th birth
The second-day sitting of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on February 20. The congress continued to
February 21, 2026
The second-day sitting of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on February 20. The congress continued to
The Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea opened with splendour in Pyongyang, the capital of the revolution, on February
February 20, 2026
The Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea opened with splendour in Pyongyang, the capital of the revolution, on February
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un delivered an opening address at the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. He said the
February 20, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un delivered an opening address at the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. He said the
The General Association of Koreans in China sent a congratulatory letter to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on the 19th on the
February 20, 2026
The General Association of Koreans in China sent a congratulatory letter to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on the 19th on the
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a message of greetings to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of
February 20, 2026
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a message of greetings to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a congratulatory letter from the Central Standing Committee of the General Association
February 20, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a congratulatory letter from the Central Standing Committee of the General Association
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the
February 20, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a kind spread to Yun Kum Son living in Puam-ri, Orang County of North Hamgyong Province, on
February 20, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a kind spread to Yun Kum Son living in Puam-ri, Orang County of North Hamgyong Province, on
More Articles