• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.270-285
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• 2020

This study examines the state of archeological research on Silla and Unified Silla conducted in North Korea and identifies its characteristics. In South Korea, most research has focused on prehistoric times in North Korea, and little research has been done on Silla and Unified Silla. Noting this, we attempted to examine the history of archaeological research in North Korea to provide foundations upon which to go forward. The research was examined in terms of general archaeological themes including tombs, fortresses, the capital city, earthenware, roof tiles, ornaments, weapons, and horse harnesses, and we identified four characteristics from the examination. First, Juche ideology had a great influence on interpretation of the unification of the three kingdoms. The Juche ideology was first proposed in 1955, and at the time, it was not fully established as an ideology but rather seen as constituting opposition to toadyism. Accordingly, the unification of the three kingdoms led by Silla was seen as amounting to collusion with foreign forces and was not acknowledged. A piece of evidence shows that this change took place around 1962. Second, an inclination to testify to the 'uniqueness' of the cultures of the three kingdoms is observed. The argument is that culture in the Korean peninsula has unique characteristics that set it apart from Chinese culture, and that the cultures of the three kingdoms share much in common. This inclination was not mentioned in research until the 1950s, and it can be seen as an effort to comply with Juche ideology and prove the principle of unity as stated in the national leader's instructions in the 1960s. Third, the influence of Goguryeo on the formation of Silla culture is emphasized. Related research explains that Baekje, Silla, and Gaya adopted the 'superior' culture of Goguryeo, and could establish 'uniqueness' of culture accordingly. It is claimed that an advanced Goguryeo culture was disseminated throughout Balhae and Unified Silla, and then to Goryeo, resulting in a true unification of the ethnic culture. Fourth, researchers in North Korea presume the Silla tombs and other relics to be far older than South Korean researchers' estimate. From a standpoint of highlighting the long history of Korea, they estimate the Silla Dynasty was founded in the early or mid-first century. Accordingly, archeological evidence that demonstrates the establishment of the state is dated as far back. Such an estimate is also indispensable in justifying the explanation that the chamber tombs of Goguryeo had a direct influence on Silla. These research characteristics which arose during the 1960s continue to be basic guidelines for North Korean researchers.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.119-130
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• 2018

In the late 1950s, departing from their unquestioning following of Soviet architecture, North Koreans attempted to discover the specificities of traditional Korean architecture and apply them to their contemporary monuments. This paper examines the ways in which North Korean architects developed their unique version of Socialist realism in the making of Pyongyang Grand Theater. The traditional elements in harmony with North Korea's political ideology-an early form of Juche ideology-and modern building technologies were to be viewed as contemporary elements, and not as a simple revival of the past. This study applies Socialist realism's compositional principle "national in form and socialist in content" to Pyongyang Grand Theater and examines specifically what "socialist content" and "national form" were and how the two were combined in the construction of Pyongyang Grand Theater. By situating the building in the context of localization of Socialist realism which is universal art principle of the communist world, this study contributes to the deeper and wider understanding of North Korea's Modern Joseon Architecture.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.13-26
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• 2022

This study explores the following research question to address issues linked to emotions, identity, and institutions: how has the cult (institution) of the three Kims affected North Koreans' strong sense of nationalism (emotion), which is based on their Juche ideology (identity)? This paper investigates four fundamental elements of historical institutionalism: time boundedness, path dependency, institutional changes, and the shadow of the past. First, time boundedness illustrates how culture and education have been used to build trust and loyalty in the general public to construct individual and family cults. Second, path dependence reveals how the Songbun system has resulted in strong nationalism throughout Rodongdang's institutionalization. Third, institutional changes highlight the significance of age divides, as different age groups do not always support the three Kims' cult. Finally, the shadow of the past helps us understand the primary processes for generating mass ardent nationalism in the form of powerful impulses for self-sacrifice.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.14-30
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• 2013

Place names in North Korea has been regarded as an effective instrument of revolution since division of territory(1945) and as typical case which politcal ideology affected the place names. Especially in North Korea, self-reliance ideology(Juche Idea) and idolization of Kim Il Sung influenced the place names. With local administrative district reform in 1952, names of district and village were changed on national scale. National survey of place names were proceeded in 1964~1966 with direct support of Kim, Ilsung. After this survey, North Korea made alteration of place names in terms of idolization of Kim Il Sung family as well as socialist revolution. Encyclopedia of place names were widely published. Almost linguist were forced to produce writing and papers for the praise of the legitimacy of new place names. But it should be attended that research trend are slowly changed since 2000s. Research for idolization of Kim Il Sung has become a little importance.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.641-648
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• 2019

South Korea and North Korea, which have been separated for 70 years, are getting closer and closer. This is very good news for Christians in South Korea who have long wanted to contact with the North Koreans. But it is not easy for Christianity to find contact points for North Koreans who have lived in a society that does not accept religion. First of all, it is necessary to grasp their ideological background, to find similarities with the message of Christianity, to search the Bible for cases of contact with Christianity in similar situations, and to appropriately contextualize them according to the present situation of North and South Korea. The ideological background of the North Korean people is the materialism which is the basic philosophy of communism, and the Juche idea based on materialism. Christianity is negative about the world view that spiritual things are good and material things are evil. Some contact points between Materialistic thinking and Christianity can be found in recognizing the material world as an important element of God's creation. The contact between materialism and Christianity also can be found in dialogue with the Greek philosophy in early Christian era, particularly in the conversation between Paul, who were at the forefront of non-Jewish contact, and Athenians.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2014

In order to resolve the decline in population due to low birthrates, the South Korean government is expanding its free child care policies with an increased budget. In anticipating the effects and problems of our system, it will be worthy of attention to refer to the child care systems of other countries. In this paper, we reviewed the past and present policies and the current situation of the child care system in North Korea. North Korea started its free child care system earlier than that of South Korea, for the purpose of utilizing the women's labor force and rearing children to be revolutionary men of Juche type (Kimilsungism), in order to construct a communistic society. 'Child Care Education Law', which is the legal foundation of the child care system, regulates institutions for nursery schools and kindergarten and informs people that the country is responsible for support of child care. Despite their interest and progress in both quantity and quality in the child care system until the 1980s, the free child care system was partially disrupted, and discrepancies between ideology and actual situation were revealed due to economic difficulties from the 1990s. Because people's survival and physical health have been threatened, it is barely possible to find any study investigating the effect of institutional child care from early childhood and the instillation of unique ideology by group education from the preschool period on mental health.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.38-61
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• 2019

Up until the early twentieth century in Germany, there were two research trends: 1) emphasizing objectives and making detailed observations of archaeological artifacts and sites, 2) tracing the remains of specific nations or ethnic groups and defining their temporal-spatial boundaries by conducting research on material culture in terms of nationalism or ethnocentrism. After the Second World War ended and Germany was divided, West German archaeology focused on observations of artifacts and sites, cataloging them, and doing research on chronology and distribution following their own traditional methodologies. East German archaeology attempted to prove the developing process of history and its Marxist principles based upon material culture and to examine the historic value of inherent specific cultural heritage based on criteria regarding how it corresponded to socialism and contributed to the development of socialism. Nevertheless, East and West German archaeology shared traditional archaeological methods inherited from German archaeology since the nineteenth century, and contact between archaeologists in West and East Germany continued to a degree. Furthermore, East German archaeology produced significant archaeological achievements acknowledged by West German and European archaeologists. These facts provided the momentum to complete rapid incorporation of the archaeologies of West and East Germany in spite of a one-sided process imposed by West German archaeology. In the case of Korea, it seems necessary to make an effort to share common research history and traditions and to encourage mutual academic exchange (e.g. joint excavation and archaeological research). Furthermore, it is also imperative to have open-minded attitudes toward accepting substantial results and interpretations achieved by North Korean archaeologists under scrutiny when and where necessary, despite seeming to have been fossilized by Marxism and Juche ideology. Any efforts to narrow the gap in archaeological research and conservation of cultural heritage between the archaeologies of South and North Korea should be made immediately. The case of Germany demonstrates how such a project could proceed efficaciously.