Communist Nation

 

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a communist dictatorship with a Stalinist, authoritarian, and totalitarian regime, aligned with the Juche ideology developed by Kim Il-sung, the “Eternal president”.

Party leadership is dominated by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, made up of three smaller coalitions: Workers’ Party of North Korea, North Korean Social Democratic party, and the Chondoist Chongu Party. A requirement of the Juche ideology is absolute loyalty to the leader and the party; which are Kim Jong-il and the Workers’ Party.

 

The Juche ideological principle states "man is the master of everything and decides everything," Juche replaced Marxism-Leninism as North Korea's official state ideology in 1972. Massive propoganda enshrines Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung in a “cult of personality,” heavily influencing film, literature, theater, and music; of Buddhist and Confucian heritage, any official Korean religion is centered on this “cult of personality”.

 

Juche translates literally to “main body” and interpreted as “spirit of self-reliance”; with the “goal of revolution and construction under Juche is the establishment of socialism and communism” within North Korea’s borders. 

 

Some aspects of both Maoism (the concept of self-regeneration) and Stalinism (socialism in one country) have been incorporated into North Korea’s ideological foundations. Contrary to Marxism (workers of the world have no nation), Juche nationalism for Koreans creates a “blood-based national community”.

 

Currently North Korea favors the Songon ideology (army-first), established in 1996, which places the majority of revolutionary responsibility in the military establishment as opposed to the proletariat or working class support. It is the framework for the government, designating the military as the "supreme repository of power." The North Korean government allocates the most economic and resource funding to the Korean People's Army (the armed personnel of the Korean military) and positions it as the model for society to emulate. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defense Commission.

 

Ideological Freedom?

 

Considering the extreme human rights offenses North Korea is accountable for diplomats and humanitarians alike doubt the actual conditions in North Korea reflect the full Juche ideology, citing the citizens lack of decision-making authority in any situation; Kim Jong-Il excercises complete autocratic control. North Korea’s economy (heavy dependence on import and foreign aid) also points to a less unified North Korean political ideology.

Three Juche Principles, developed by Kim Il-sung:

"independence in politics" (chaju)

"self-sustenance in the economy" (charip)

"self-defense in national defense" (chawi)

1) The people must have independence (chajusong) in thought and politics, economic self-sufficiency, and self-reliance in defense;

2) Policy must reflect the will and aspirations of the masses and employ them fully in revolution and construction;

3) Methods of revolution and construction must be suitable to the situation of the country;

4) The most important work of revolution and construction is molding people ideologically as communists and mobilizing them to

    constructive action.

Retrieved from Wikipedia - Juche.                                                                                                                                                                       

         The image is of the Juche Tower, dedicated to Kim Il-sung on his 70th birthday and represents the enduring Juche principles that he developed. The tower is usually lit in pictures though it is rarely actually lit due to power shortages, yet the Korean government only circulates photos of its lumination.

                                                                                                                                                               Image from Juche Tower- Wikipedia.

This statue conincides with the Juche tower, depicting a hammer, sickle,

and writing brush representing the "idealised" worker, a peasant, and a "working intellectual".

Image from DPRK Studies.