OMF Blog
11. Kim Il-Sung-ism
NK Blog - Friday 17 July 2009We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
The minds of North Koreans are shaped by “Juche” (pronounced ‘joo-chay’) — an ideology that Kim Il-Sung believed and taught. Juche officially replaced Marxism as North Korea’s national philosophy in the 1970s. Although similar, the philosophy and basic values of Juche are different from those of communism under Marx or Lenin.
Juche is a Korean word that literally means “self-reliance.” The North Korean government created the concept of Juche in the 1960s to develop a sense of self-reliance, and teach the people that North Korea did not need China or Russia. In actuality, another word for Juche is “Kim Il-Sung-ism,” the idea that Kim Il-Sung is the father of the nation who provides everything the people need and whose ideas shape all the philosophical and political thinking in the country.
Juche states that the revolution belongs to the people, and the people must be organized by a great leader. (20) Kim compared the leader, himself, and the people to the brain and the body. (21) The brain controls the body and the body thinks what the brain thinks.
The sayings of Kim Il-Sung are now studied by high school students, university students and future leaders of the country. They are taught that all good things come from Kim Il-Sung and speak of him with respect and reverence. Children are even taught that Kim Il-Sung causes the flowers to grow. After meals, the children say “Thank you, Great Leader, we ate well.”
- Pray that the North Korean people will channel their commitment to the One who deserves it.
- Pray that many in North Korean society will seek a more lasting philosophy and worldview on which to build their lives.
- Pray that many in North Korea will honor Creator God more than they honor anyone else.