Kim was Korea and Korea was Kim: The Formation of Juche Ideology and Personality Cult in North Korea
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Major/Program
Asian Studies
First Advisor's Name
Thomas A. Breslin
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee chair
Second Advisor's Name
Steven Heine
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Third Advisor's Name
Amy Bliss Marshall
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Keywords
North Korea, juche, Kim Il-Sung, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, personality cult, cult of personality, Korean history, Korea, nationalism, history, self-reliance, supreme leader, suryong, Korean War, Soviet Union, jucheist
Date of Defense
3-23-2017
Abstract
Juche ideology, created by founder Kim Il-Sung, governs all aspects of North Korean society. This thesis attempts to answer the questions of why and how Juche ideology and the cult of personality surrounding Kim Il-Sung were successfully implemented in North Korea. It is a historical analysis of the formation of the North Korean state that considers developments from the late 19th century to the late 20th century, with particular attention paid to the 1950s-1970s and to Kim’s own writings and speeches. The thesis argues that Juche was successfully implemented and institutionalized in North Korea due to several factors, including the rise of Korean nationalism, the personal history of Kim Il-Sung, the Korean War and resulting domestic strife, and the influence of the international socialist movement. It provides a historical explanation of Juche and its importance within North Korea, which in turn is necessary for understanding North Korea as a whole.
Identifier
FIDC001747
Recommended Citation
Trifoi, Bianca, "Kim was Korea and Korea was Kim: The Formation of Juche Ideology and Personality Cult in North Korea" (2017). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3275.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3275
Included in
Asian History Commons, Asian Studies Commons, International Relations Commons, Korean Studies Commons, Political History Commons, Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies Commons
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