Writer: Hana Soltani

(Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

North Korea: Persistence of Culture

North Korea has been under tyranny since 1948, ruled by the Kim dynasty for three generations. North Koreans live within strict rules that control every aspect of their life, from their appearance to their every word. In that country, there are fewer than 30 approved hairstyles where deviations lead to punishment. In case of fire, North Koreans have to save the picture of the dictator before anything else. Listening to or watching South Korean productions may lead to imprisonment, labor camps, or execution. 

Under this oppressive regime, North Korean culture has faded into the Kim dynasty’s ideology of Juche (self-reliance) and nationalism, where living in the country has been described as living in a prison by defectors. In a controlled society, are there any cultural traditions untouched by the dictatorship?

Under the influence of the Kim dynasty, Hanbok is now called  “Joseon”, recognized as a symbol of unity in North Korea. The North Korean government is actively trying to separate its culture from South Korea as a way of showing the government’s influence and independence. Kim Jong Un has stated that “Hanbok worn by North Koreans approaches closer to the traditional, authentic style”. Under the current government of North Korea, locals wear hanbok as a way of celebrating the birthdays of former leaders of the Kim dynasty.

In North Korea, the Northern Goshawk, the national bird recognized as a symbol of power and majesty, may be used for falconry. Due to the closed nature of the regime, it is unknown if falconry is encouraged or suppressed. However, it can be inferred that due to the controlled wildlife and strict governmental regulations, falconry may have become a cultural symbol of the past or a state-controlled practice.

In that authoritarian regime, music is no longer a form of self-expression but a way of submitting to the regime’s ideals. Ethnomusicologist Keith Howard, who has visited North Korea several times, believes that the modern music of North Korea consists of an excessive number of “mind-numbing” songs that “reflect and reinforce the state’s ideology”. Kim Jong Yun has sent musicologists to the northern countryside of North Korea to record popular folk songs and poems, ordering them to reproduce them according to the social and political ideals of the regime.

Dictatorships control culture as a way of suppressing expression. This involves controlling clothing, literature, art, and music to maintain power and prevent the spread of ideas that could inspire resistance. Because cultural freedom empowers people, all aspects of North Korean culture have been suppressed and influenced by the regime However, the regime seems unable to fully suppress cultural expression. The 2000-year-old Hanbok could not be taken away from North Koreans, and neither could traditional instruments. Instead, these cultural practices were modified to praise the government that tries to hide its powerlessness against North Korea’s extensive cultural history.

There is power even in a suppressed culture. In North Korea, traditions have been reshaped by decades of political control, yet they have not disappeared. North Korea’s music and traditions have adapted to survive within the limits of the system. Culture bends to circumstance. It can be easy to only see the atrocities that regularly happen when injustice shapes routine, but it is also crucial to notice culture’s persistence. North Korea’s culture is complex as it is shaped by control and continuity. However, even the world’s worst dictator could not erase North Korea’s historical culture. In oppression or freedom, culture is inseparable from national identity. The endurance of North Korea’s culture is not a conscious act, but the persistent progression of history.

Citations:

“Hanbok (Joseon-ot) in N. Korea.” KBS WORLD, 18 Jan. 2023, https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.htm?lang=e&board_seq=433900. 

“Hanbok – Traditional Korean Dress.” Victoria and Albert Museum, https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/hanbok-traditional-korean-dress?srsltid=AfmBOoq2cEJM_PLP4GaV01iLU-ZzM8gF3z8Kj9vpPTH-zM4traELilP5.

“North Korea Song and Dance.” CNN Style, CNN, https://www.cnn.com/style/article/north-korea-song-dance.

“The Current Context and Projections for Promoting Human Rights in North Korea.” HRNK Insider, 27 Oct. 2020, https://www.hrnkinsider.org/2020/10/the-current-context-and-projections-for.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12551295749&gbraid=0AAAAABnnWDlrtcwFGn76wJonD4RzUOqcp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1JS4_cK1kAMVqQutBh1wHjXlEAAYASAAEgKtQvD_BwE. 

“The Current Context and Projections for Promoting Human Rights in North Korea.” Korea.net NewsFocus, https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/HonoraryReporters/view?articleId=224783.