• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
• /
• v.34 no.10
• /
• pp.119-130
• /
• 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 the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.92-99
• /
• 2007

Korea began preserving and managing natural monuments in 1933 under the Japanese Colonization, but South and North Korea had to establish natural monument management policies separately because of the division after the Korean Independence. The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the natural monument designations of South and North Koreas between 1933 and 2005 to introduce advanced polices for Oneness-Korea. The following are the results: According to data of December 2005, South Korea has 358 and North Korea has 474 natural monuments. North Korea has 116 more natural monuments than South Korea. In addition, over half of South Korea's designations are plants, whereas North Korea's designations are relatively well-balanced. Both South and North Korea designate plants(mostly trees) that are old and large. However, South Korea emphasizes the historical value of village forests, contrary to economic value in North Korea. Also, North Korea preserves many traditional fruit trees which have not been well-preserved in South Korea. As for animals, South Korea designates migratory wild animals by type and not by region to protect them at a national level, whereas North Korea designates the specific habitats of each type of wild animal. In addition, North Korea protects each region's cattle and chickens to preserve native traits of domesticated animals. Geologically, North Korea preserves 18 hot springs and 11 springs, whereas South Korea has none. Geographically, North Korea preserves 81 waterfalls, lakes, etc. In the conclusion, advanced natural monument management of South and North Korea is necessary to achieve effective preservation of natural monuments.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 2018

This research scrutinizes the concept of 'Juchegeonchuk' (self-reliance ideology in architecture), which is a key concept to understand the architecture and urbanism of North Korea in the 1970's and 80's. In the 1970's and 80's, Kim Jong-il began to appear in politics in earnest after Kim Il-sung appointed Kim Jong-il as Kim Il-sung's successor to the next generation. There have been many previous studies about 'Juchesasang' (self-reliance ideology) in various fields, except in architecture. On the other hand, the in-depth research into Juchegeonchuk, which was a method to strengthen Juchesasang, was not good enough in architecture. In this sense, this research investigates the concept of Juchegeonchuk based on the Geonchugyesullon (The Art of Architecture), which embodied the thought of architecture and culture of Kim Jong-il published in 1992. This research scrutinizes the idea of Juchegeonchuk on The Art of Architecture, and its representation in architecture and urbanism in Pyeongyang based on the idea of Juchegeonchuk. It enables to find a new interpretation of North Korea's architecture introduced by Kim, Jong-il in the late 20th century.

• Journal of architectural history
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.65-76
• /
• 2019

Modern Joseon Architecture is North Korea's unique building style that interprets Korean traditional architecture in a modern way, and its most distinctive design feature is the Paljak roof that decorates the upper part of the buildings. This paper argues that continuous attempts at characterizing the nature of traditional Korean architecture in the late 1950s and early 1960s developed the theoretical rationale for the exclusive use of the Paljak roof in Modern Joseon Architecture. It also argues that the construction of the Pyongyang Grand Theater and the Okryu Restaurant during this period became a decisive moment for the formalization of the Paljak roof. The double roof rafters and gables and the "cheerful yet solemn" roofline were considered as main characteristic features of the Korean roof and the Paljak roof perfectly fits this description. Particularly, in North Korean society where Kim Il Sung became idolized as an impersonalized deity, an anecdote in which Kim Il Sung fixed a prominent gabled roof in the Pyongyang Grand Theater into a Paljak roof has allowed for the roof to gain an exclusive status. Hence, almost all Modern Joseon Architecture since the 1960s accepted the Paljak roof's monopoly position, rather than experimenting with other traditional roof types.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.29-43
• /
• 1995

In this study on the creation of parks in North Korea, which is closely re]toted to the developmental stages in North Korea, park construction plans are investigated according to the following periods: 1) from the Liberation of Korea in 1945 to the outbreak of the Korean War, 2) from the end of the Korean War to the 1950's, 3) 1960's and 4) 1970's and 1980's Major North Korean parks are also presented and common characteristics of park-making in North Korea are analyzed in the following way : 1) the character and function of the parks, 2) the development of landscaping, 3) the creation of unique North Korean parks. This study was conducted through archival research of North Korean documents and it may be limited due to the intrinsic problem of reliability that the documents have, and also to an impossoble on-the-spot survey. However this study is of value because it presents North Korean parks, as yet unpublished in South Korea, and it can be used as valuable information for further study and especially for the planning of parks and green space system in preparation for a probable unified Korea. For a profound stuffy, broader and more accurately detailed North Korean documents must be obtained and opened to the public. A comparative study on the principles of spatial composition and design elements of the parka in South and North Korea mutt also be conducted so as to find a model for the Korean park for a future unified Korea.

• Architectural research
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.83-92
• /
• 2018

Recently, there has been inter-Korean exchanges are active, in company with an assertive international activity with North Korea and inter-Korean Summits. Thus, there is a growing possibility of Korean reunification. However, when the unification situation occurs, population inflow by North Korean residents will be expected, and it will be necessary to prepare a housing supply strategy. In addition, even if North Koreans are prevented from entering, a plan is necessary to ensure structural safety since most buildings in North Korea are aging and a recent natural disaster occurs frequently. In this research, we will try to present a temporary housing supply strategy and a short-term structural reinforcement plan based on analysis of the standard housing conditions in North Korea. In this research, we represent the analysis result of the existing construction level, supply status and structural performance of North Korea. When we consider the reinforcement period and social costs, a short-term reinforcement plan is recommended rather than the full reinforcement of the aged housing in North Korea. Furthermore, we examine the ways to secure the residential safety of North Koreans through a case study of domestic and overseas temporary residential facilities, until the permanent residential facilities were supplied. According to the analysis, the tent houses were used as a form of relief housing in overseas frequently. However, the tent house is difficult to apply for domestic country with clear seasons due to insulation and heating problems. Therefore, it is appropriate to develop a residential supply strategy as focusing on the temporary housing facilities in assembled or container from, in preparation for the future population inflow.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.133-144
• /
• 1999

This paper is a study of rural settlement and housing planning in North-Korea. All the housing facilities belong to the government in North-Korea. which leads to the system in which the North-Korea government controls all the housing problems. The North-Korea government actively engages in the settlement of housing problems have close relations with and effects on the urban housing ones. The government has designed to make the rural areas self-sufficient in matters of the rural housing arrangement. They try to make an axis in the middle of each village uniformly and heighten its symbolism of the rural. They place all the symbolic structures in the center to express the ideas of the ruler's. thus making the whole village a study hall where the villagers are forced to learn the ruler's ideas as a way of brainwashing the people.

• Journal of architectural history
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.7-20
• /
• 2023

This study aims to reveal the multilayered nature of the formal aspects of communal house architecture in North Korea. It is said that Kim Jong Il, who emerged as a successor after the mid-1970s, brought about a change in the architecture, leading the construction of a sculptural communal house on Gwangbok Street in 1989, and wrote The art of architecture (1992), which theorized architecture as an object of art. Therefore, it is widely perceived that the communal house was transformed from a simple form of living function to an artistic architecture with the rise of Kim Jong Il. This study, however, argues that this change was the result of an internal evolution in North Korean architecture, rather than a simple change in the position of an individual in power. It seeks to move away from the dichotomy that divides the communal house into two periods: the "KimIl-sung period," in which the communal house was laid out in a simple form to provide mass supply and a socialist lifestyle, and the "Kim Jong-il period," in which the communal house took on an artistic form, such as the Gwangbok Street communal house, in the early years of reconstruction. In the 1950s and 1960s, before KimJong-il's arrival, the communal house form was not simply a flat arrangement, but a three-dimensional and sculptural consideration of the effect on the cityscape.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.66-74
• /
• 2016

In what way is the urban landscape of North Korea used today, and what features do people prefer in the North Korean landscape? This study analyzed the characteristics of Pyongyang landscapes and their effects, based on an analysis of Western tourists motivation for tourism in North Korea and preferred enjoyment-seeking experiences. Using data from the tourist agency specializing in Western tourism in North Korea and a location based photo-sharing service, the study interprets the visual distinctiveness of Pyongyang landscape. The study concluded that widely known risk to travelers in North Korea is in fact an attraction, making people want to visit directly. However, this risk was mitigated in practical experience by the overall intermediation of the tourism agency and locals' conscious behavior to keep their distance from foreigners. Next, the scope of National ritual attributes was expanded to the locals' daily life as well as large-scale events such as mass games and military parades only if for national holidays. Also, the most preferred factors contributing to North Korean tourism were based on departure from routine through mobilization of the residents. This indicates the extension that the nature of North Korea as a theater state. The Pyongyang landscape represents a world politically isolated, people's congregated motion to display to the world, and people's lives hidden beneath a veil. These visualities fulfill the fantasy of Westerners regarding North Korea. Furthermore, these are superficial images that help create a basis to maintain the North Korea regime.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.35 no.2 s.121
• /
• pp.71-80
• /
• 2007

Korea began preserving and managing natural monuments in 1933 under Japanese Colonization, but North Korea and South Korea were forced to establish separate natural monument management policies because of the division after the Korean Independence. The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the natural monument management policies of both south and North Korea between 1933 and 2005 to introduce new policies for Korea unification. The following are the results: First, South Korea manages every type of cultural asset, including natural monuments, through the 'Cultural Heritage Protection Act,' whereas North Korea managing its cultural assets through the 'Cultural Relics Protection Act' and the 'Landmark/Natural Monument Protection Act.' Second, South Korea preserves and utilizes natural monuments for the purpose of promoting the cultural experience of Korean people and contributing to the development of world culture, whereas North Korea uses its natural monuments to promote the superiority of socialism and protect its ruling power. Third, North and South Korea have similar classification systems for animals, plants, and geology, but North Korea classifies geography as one of its natural monuments. Unlike South Korea, North Korea also designates imported animals and plants not only for the preservation and research of genetic resources, but also for their value as economic resources. Fourth, North Korea authorizes the Cabinet to designate and cancel natural monuments, whereas South Korea designates and cancels natural monuments by the Cultural Heritage Administration through the deliberation of a Cultural Heritage Committee. Both Koreas' central administrations establish policies and their local governments carry them out, while their management systems are quite different. In conclusion, it is important to establish specified laws for the conservation of natural heritages and clarified standards of designation in order to improve the preservation and management system and to sustain the diversity of natural preservation. Moreover it is also necessary to discover resources in various fields, designate protection zones, and preserve imported trees. By doing so, we shall improve South Korea's natural monument management policies and ultimately enhance national homogeneity in preparation for the reunification of the Koreas in the future.