How North Korea exploits Christianity to build its cult of personality | DW News

Key Concepts

• Cult of Personality: A system where a political leader is presented as a god-like, infallible figure to the public.
• Theocratic Secularism: A political structure that functions like a religion, utilizing rituals, dogma, and worship directed toward a human leader rather than a deity.
• "Jerusalem of the East": A historical moniker for Pyongyang, reflecting its status as a major center of Christianity in Asia prior to the rise of the Kim regime.
• Dynastic Succession: The transfer of power within the Kim family (Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un, and potentially to a fourth generation).
• Nuclear Deterrence: The use of nuclear weapons as a strategic shield to prevent external regime change.

1. The Religious Roots of the Kim Dynasty

Journalist Jonathan Cheng, author of Korean Messiah, argues that North Korea is best understood not merely as a nuclear-armed state, but as a religious society. The regime’s founder, Kim Il-sung, was raised in a devout Christian environment in Pyongyang.

• Christian Upbringing: Kim Il-sung’s parents and grandparents were active Christians. He participated in church life, played the organ, taught Sunday school, and lived with a pastor during his teenage years.
• The Blueprint for Power: Cheng posits that Kim Il-sung subconsciously or consciously utilized his knowledge of Christian structures—such as the need for a messiah, the power of faith, and the human tendency to idolize—to construct his own cult of personality. He effectively replaced the worship of God with the worship of himself and his lineage.

2. Rituals and State Theology

The North Korean state enforces a daily, ritualistic devotion to the Kim family that mirrors religious practice:

• Iconography: Portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are mandatory in every home, school, and workplace. Citizens wear pins featuring the leaders' faces over their hearts.
• Daily Rituals: Citizens are required to maintain the cleanliness of these portraits using government-issued dusters.
• Veneration: Bowing to statues of the leaders is a mandatory act of respect, particularly on significant dates such as birthdays, weddings, and national holidays. Kim Il-sung’s birthday remains the holiest day on the North Korean calendar.

3. Durability and Succession

Unlike the cults of personality surrounding Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong, which waned after their deaths, the North Korean cult has intensified over eight decades.

• Internal Stability: While nuclear weapons protect the regime from external threats, the cult of personality serves as a mechanism to suppress internal dissent by framing the leadership as divine.
• Fourth Generation: Evidence suggests Kim Jong-un is preparing his daughter (likely Kim Ju-ae) for succession, indicating the regime’s intent to maintain the dynasty into a fourth generation and beyond.

4. Geopolitical Strategy and Regime Survival

Jonathan Cheng argues that the North Korean regime is unlikely to collapse, citing two primary pillars of security:

• Nuclear Arsenal: Having conducted six nuclear tests and demonstrated intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities, North Korea has achieved a level of deterrence that makes "decapitation strikes" or forced regime change highly improbable.
• Lessons from Abroad: The regime observes global politics closely. Cheng notes that the fate of leaders in countries like Venezuela and Iran has reinforced North Korea’s belief that nuclear weapons are the only guarantee against foreign intervention. Consequently, the regime is viewed as highly unlikely to negotiate away its nuclear program.

5. Synthesis and Conclusion

The North Korean regime’s longevity is the result of a sophisticated synthesis of religious-style indoctrination and hard-power military strategy. By co-opting the psychological mechanisms of faith, the Kim dynasty has transformed political loyalty into a form of worship, making the state exceptionally resistant to internal collapse. Coupled with a nuclear deterrent that prevents external interference, the regime has created a "hermit kingdom" that is structurally designed to endure for the foreseeable future.

Notable Quote:

"If you can use that [faith] as a bit of a blueprint, you could have a situation where the object of worship isn't Jesus Christ, isn't God, isn't Buddha... it's him and it's his family." — Jonathan Cheng