Analysis of the Contents of the Play Songs of North Korean Children

북한 어린이들의 놀이노래가사의 의미 분석

This study compared the meaning of words in the play songs of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea(DPRK). Sixteen children who had escaped from North Korea participated in this survey in Seoul by responding to a questionnaire. In the DPRK, children sing formal songs, used as instruments of ideological socialization. Among the songs were 4 composed prior to the creation of the DPRK in 1945. The other songs were composed after 1945 and exhibited ideological characteristics. Despite differences in sources, themes, and ideologies of play songs, some of them contained common themes, materials, rhythms, and typical Korean emotional structure. Considering the power of play songs in spreading cultural influence, they might be the key to resolving psychological conflicts of both Koreas after unification.