The revolution that wasn't: is North Korea really a "revolutionary" state? | NK News
NK News Logo
December 24, 2024

NK News is hiring

Evergreen

The revolution that wasn’t: is North Korea really a “revolutionary” state?

Despite official claims, early DPRK history was not marked by radical change to the status quo

Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un made the worldwide news when he made a triumphant return to the base of the Korean “revolution”: Mount Paektu. Although Korean communist guerillas never actually fought Japanese colonialists in this mountainous terrain, the Kim family regime has made this area a central point in its propaganda due to its mythical status in Korean tradition.

According to North Koran propaganda, Kim Jong Il was supposedly born at a base camp in Mount Paektu. Thus, Mount Paektu, with its beautiful scenery and lake, became a source of legitimacy for the North Korea government. It was Mount Paektu where the supposed Korean revolution was born. However, did North Korea truly undergo an anti-colonial revolution?

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.