Earliest known version of ``taegukki`` discovered

A version of Korea`s national flag, known as ``taegukki,`` presumed to have been made in the late 1880s, was recently discovered. Experts said the flag was made earlier than the oldest known taegukki, ``Denny Taegukki,`` which is on display at Independence Hall in Chonan.The Korean Methodist Church made public the taegukki Thursday. It said it obtained the flag through Dr. Kim Chan-Hee, a Korean theologian who is a professor emeritus at Clairmont Theological College in the United States. The flag was in the possession of Martie Noble, wife of Arthur Noble, a missionary of the U.S. North Methodist Church who was active in Seoul in the final days of the Choson Kingdom, the Korean church said.

The flag is 23.5cm wide and 18.5cm long. The `taeguk` pattern and four trigrams from the Book of Changes are embroidered on jade green cloth.

Song Pyung-In pisong@donga.com