Democratic People's Republic of Korea
“The DPRK is the Juche-oriented socialist state which embodies the idea and leadership of Comrade Kim Il-Sung, the founder of the Republic and the father of socialist Korea” [from the official web page of the DPR of Korea]. On April 15, 1997, the anniversary of Kim Il-Sung’s birth in 1912, the year 1912 was declared to be Juche One and all calendar years to be counted from then. In Juche 87 (1998) Kim Il-Sung, who died in 1994, was declared President for Eternity. Juche as developed by Kim Il-Sung is the guiding principle of the DPRK: that man is the master and the center of everything; that self-reliance, national independence and self-defense are the key to the safety and dignity of the country.
Kim Il-Sung returned to Korea from Russia at the end of WWII in 1945 after the Russian army took Pyongyang. Cleverly using the temporary Russian administration of North Korea to advance politically, along with his skills as a good organizer and administrator and reputation as an anti-Japanese guerilla fighter, he maneuvered into power and popularity among the people. In 1948 the People’s Republic was declared. The Korean Workers’ Party with Kim Il-Sung as general secretary became the sole ruling force. The “Great Leader” had already begun creating his personal mythology as the liberator of North Korea whose forces brought about the defeat of Japan and the end of WWII.
After the destruction caused by the Korean War, rapid construction and advances in agriculture and production were promoted by encouraging “Chollima speed.” The Three Revolutions Team Movement of the 1970’s brought Kim Jong-Il more into the public eye as both father and son worked to motivate the populace to Juche-centered achievements in technology, culture, and socialist ideology. Kim Jong-Il, the “Dear Leader,” was acknowledged as Kim Il-Sung’s successor in 1980. In the 1990’s Kim Jong-Il’s establishment of Songun (Army-first policy) meant that the military took precedence, with the economy geared towards supporting a substantial army (now estimated at one million) and the development of weapons and nuclear technology. But several natural disasters and the failure of economic policies led to mass starvation. North Korea began courting foreign investment in a series of development projects such as the Kumgangson tourist zone, Rason Special Economic Zone, and Kaesong Industrial Complex.
“Dear respected” Kim Jong-Un, the 28-year old “Great Successor,” announced the end of the era of belt-tightening for the country. He said he would continue his father’s plan to “look outward” and open the DPRK to Asian and European imports and luxury goods. He embarked on ambitious building projects in the capital city, including more than 200 new statues, a waterpark, sports and recreation venues, and a miniature theme park, the Pyongyang Folk Park. The title of the 2011 New Year Joint Editorial by Pyongyang newspapers summed up: “Bring about a Decisive Turn in the Improvement of the People’s Standard of Living and the Building of a Great, Prosperous and Powerful Country by Accelerating the Development of Light Industry Once Again This Year.” Although there is more open access for the elite to material goods and culture from outside North Korea, the DPRK remains a repressive and reclusive state, led by a young 3rd generation KIm determined to consolidate and prove his power.
General History & Background
North Korean Modern History a Sourcebook by
2 vols. Collection of primary documents 1949-1990. vol 1 covers documents of Workers' Party of Korea; Supreme People's Assembl; Military, Foreign Relations, Unification;; Economy & Society. Vol 2 =
2 vols. Primary sources documents 1949-1990. Vol.1 = Worker's party of Korea. Vol.2 = Supreme People's Assembly; Military, Foreign Relations, Unification; Economy & Society. Most are reports, speeches, policies & programs of Kim Il Sung.
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Call Number: DS930.6 .N67 2018Publication Date: 2018 (Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do : Academy of Korean Studies Press)
A History of Korea: from "Land of the Morning Calm" to States in Conflict by
"[Jinwung Kim] provides a detailed account of the origins of the Korean people and language and the founding of the first walled-town states, along with the advanced civilization that existed in the ancient land of "Unified Silla." Clarifying the often complex history of the Three Kingdoms Period, Kim chronicles the five-century long history of the Choson dynasty, which left a deep impression on Korean culture. From the beginning, China has loomed large in the history of Korea, from the earliest times when the tribes that would eventually make up the Korean nation roamed the vast plains of Manchuria and against whom Korea would soon define itself. Japan, too, has played an important role in Korean history, particularly in the 20th century; Kim tells this story as well, including the conflicts that led to the current divided state."
Call Number: DS 907.18 K53296 2012Publication Date: 2012 (Bloomington: Indiana University Press)
History of Korea [2nd. ed.] by
This revised edition examines North and South Korea's political, socio-economic, and cultural history from the Neolithic period to the early 21st century, including issues of recent political unrest and preparations for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Call Number: DS 907.18 K5247Publication Date: 2014 (Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC)
The Two Koreas: a Contemporary History by
"In this landmark history, now thoroughly revised and updated in conjunction with Korea expert Robert Carlin, veteran journalist Don Oberdorfer describes how a historically homogenous people became locked in a perpetual struggle for supremacy--and how they might yet be reconciled.
Call Number: DS 922.2 O25 2014Publication Date: 2014 (New York: Basic Books, Perseus Books Group)
North Korea: State of Paranoia by
In this remarkable and eye-opening book,author Paul French examines in forensic detail the history and politics of North Korea, Pyongyang's complex relations with South Korea, Japan, China and America, and the implications of Kim Jong-Un's increasingly belligerent leadership following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. As an already unstable North Korea grows ever more unpredictable, antagonizing enemies and allies alike, [this book] delivers a provocative and frightening account of a potentially explosive nuclear tripwire.
Call Number: DS 935 F74 2014Publication Date: 2014 (London, UK ; New York, NY : Zed Books)
Historical Dictionary of Democratic People's Republic of Korea by
Located in Kroch Asia reading room
Call Number: REF DS 930.8 H63 2012Publication Date: 2012 (Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press)
Atlas of Korean History by
Located in Kroch Asia reading room. Contains North Korea coverage, including a section on "Reunification Policies and North-South Exchanges' [and confrontations].. Maps, charts, stats.
Call Number: REF DS 907.18 A75 2008 +Publication Date: 2008 (Singapore: Stallion Press)
역사스페[syŏl] / Yŏksa sŭpʻesyŏl
17-vol. TV documentary covering Korean history from antiquity to the end of Japanese occupation in 1945.
Call Number: Videodisc 4014; 4027-4042 (KOR) In Korean.Publication Date: 2005 (Soul: KBS Midio)
Revolution, War, Famine
Everyday Life in the North Korean Revolution, 1945-1950 by
Kim examines the revolutionary events that shaped people's lives in the development of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. By shifting the historical focus from the state and the Great Leader to how villagers experienced social revolution, Kim offers new insights into why North Korea insists on setting its own course. Kim s innovative use of documents seized by U.S. military forces during the Korean War and now stored in the National Archives, personnel files, autobiographies, minutes of organizational meetings, educational materials, women's magazines, and court documents together with oral histories allows her to present the first social history of North Korea during its formative years."
Call Number: DS 935.55 K567 2013Publication Date: 2013 (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press)- History of Revolutionary Activities of the Great Leader Comrade KIM IL SUNG Detailed 600+ page book, organized by chronological time periods starting 1912, ending 1980's, covering Kim Il Sung's early biography, anti-Japanese campaigns, struggles for establishing national liberation, democratic revolution & transition to socialism; Korean War activities; further development of the ideology and practice of socialism as it relates to economics, technology, agriculture and other aspects of carrying forward the ideals of Revolution.Call Number: DS 934.6 K49 H67Publication Date: 1983 (Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House)
Encyclopedia of the Korean War: a Political, Social, and Military History by
"The "Encyclopedia of the Korean War" is the most comprehensive reference work on the war to date and will set a new standard for military history. ... this work offers both Korean and U.S. perspectives in an unbiased format. Volume 3 is devoted entirely to primary source documents never before gathered in one reference work." (For specific entries on the DPRK, see those listed for "Korea, Democratic People's Republic of," Encyclopedia entries include references.
Call Number: ebook; click on title. online; 1st ed. 2000, at Olin Library REF DS 918 E53x 2000+ )Publication Date: 2010 (Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO)
Korean War in Color; a Correspondent's Retrospective on a Forgotten War by
For many in the West, the Korean War is a "forgotten war" wedged between the larger conflicts of World War II and Vietnam, In John Rich's book, published to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, the renowned war correspondent breaks down this barrier with a jaw-dropping collection of color photographs of the Korean War, perhaps the finest collection of color images of the conflict anywhere.
Call Number: DS918.15 .R53 2010 ++Publication Date: 2010 (Seoul, Korea : Seoul Selection)
Korean War Almanac by
Korean War Almanac contains a day-by-day chronology of events and political as well as air, ground and sea maneuvers and battles. Preliminary information includes brief history of the Koreas and a time-line. Special sections cover the primary people and the weapons of both sides and other countries involved; extensive bibliography.
Call Number: REF DS 918 E365 2006Publication Date: 2006 (New York: Facts on File)
The Korean War by
[This war] was the first major arena of East-West conflict. The book examines the ideological and historical context, pre-war inter-relations and origins of the war, the international involvement, a social history of the war, the impact of the war, and the progression of negotiations to armistice and through the Geneva Conference.
Call Number: DS 918 L393x 2001Publication Date: 2001 (Harlow, England; New York: Longman)
The Korean War: An Annotated Bibliography (rev. 2nd. ed.) by
"In this revised and expanded second edition, Keith D. McFarland's clearly written annotations provide concise descriptions of more than 2,600 of the most important books, articles, and documents written in English on the conflict in Korea. Key topics include origins of the war; the political and military roles of North and South Korea, the United States, the Soviet Union, China, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, and other United Nations members; campaigns and battles; weapons and uniforms; and the military and diplomatic aspects of the war."
Call Number: REF Z3319 K6 M38 2010Publication Date: 2009 (New York, NY: Routledge)
Famine in North Korea: Markets, Aid, and Reform by
In the mid-1990s, as many as one million North Koreans died in one of the worst famines of the twentieth century. The socialist food distribution system collapsed primarily because of a misguided push for self-reliance, but was compounded by the regime's failure to formulate a quick response-including the blocking of desperately needed humanitarian relief. As households, enterprises, local party organs, and military units tried to cope with the economic collapse, a grassroots process of marketization took root. However, rather than embracing these changes,
Call Number: HC 470.2 Z9 F35 2007Publication Date: 2007 (New York: Columbia University Press)
Marching Through Suffering: Loss and Survival in North Korea by
"Marching Through Suffering" is a deeply personal portrait of the ravages of famine and totalitarian politics in modern North Korea since the 1990s. Featuring interviews with more than thirty North Koreans who defected to Seoul and Tokyo, the book explores the subjective experience of the nation's famine and its citizens' social and psychological strategies for coping with the regime.
Call Number: HV 640.5 K67 F35 2015Publication Date: 2015 (New York: Columbia University Press)
Pictorial Works & Travel
- KTG - DPRK Tours and InformationTravel & tour agency based in Beijing. The web site has a DPRK Profile with history, facts & figures, and news; Tourism, which includes places of interest; and tour offerings.
The Bradt Travel Guide: North Korea by
This new edition includes the practical aspects of travelling to and around North Korea: access from South Korea, Beijing, and Russia; red tape and security issues; cultural protocols; travelers' necessary information about the country. Covers Pyongyang and vicinity and trips to rural areas. and towns. Includes insights into politics and everyday life, such as a description of the meaning of license plate colors and numbers.
Call Number: DS 930.95 M37 2019 (in Reference)Publication Date: 2019 (Chalfont st. Peter, Buckinghamshire: Bradt Travel Guides
Segye ŭi munhwa yusan. Pukhan = The world travel North Korea 세계의 문화유산. 북한
( 7-DVD set, located in Uris Library Dean Room); featuring different areas of North Korea.
1. Paektusan ; Chʻilposan 2. Kŭmgangsan
3. Myohyangsan ; Paengnyŏng taegul
4. Kyŏnggi-do ; Kangwŏn-do
5. Hwanghae-do ; Pʻyŏngyang
6. Pʻyŏngan-do 7. Hamgyŏng-do.
Call Number: Videodisc 6254 (KOR) In Korean.Publication Date: 2004 (Seoul: Ai Ssidi)
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 1948-1958
"This is published in honour of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the D.P.R.K."
Book of black and white photos, chronologically arranged, from end of WWII thru the Korean War to post-war reconstruction. Captions in English and Korean.
Call Number: + DS 932 D38Publication Date: 1958 (Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House)
Korea - The Ground War from Both Sides: Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives by
The Korean War opened with the invasion of South Korea by the North Koreans in June 1950. This superbly illustrated book traces the fluctuating fortunes of war from both sides..... a stalemate developed. No peace treaty was ever signed.The story is well told in photographs, captions and text. Many of the images portray the brutal nature of the war, where neither POWs nor civilians were safe.... the photographs in this fine book give a unique insight into the conflict.
Call Number: DS921.5.P46 C55 2013Publication Date: 2013 (Barnsley, South Yorkshire : Pen & Sword Military)
North Korea Caught in Time: Images of War and Reconstruction by
"..in its early years [North Korea] witnessed unimaginable turbulence, both in the devastation of the Korean War and in the postwar ferment in which military interventions by the Chinese and the Americans both played a part. Comprising more than 150 rare photos - most never before seen in print - "North Korea Caught in Time" documents the country's destruction and painful rebirth. An accompanying essay by Balázs Szalontai tells the untold story of how ordinary North Koreans endured the conflct."
Call Number: DS 932.23 S69 2010Publication Date: 2009 (Reading: Garnet Publishing)
North Korea After Korean War by
"Collected Photographs by Sin DongSam." Book of color photographs "was taken by German" in the 1950's after the Korean War.
Call Number: DS 932.23 S56 2013Publication Date: 2013 (Seoul: Nunpit)
North Korea by
Pictorial look at North Korea 60 years after the armistice was signed, but which did not officially end the war.
Call Number: DS 932.23 H37 2013+Publication Date: 2013 (Los Angeles, California : Shashin Press,)
Inside North Korea by
Award-winning photographer Mark Edward Harris has had rare access to this reclusive country, traveling within its borders as well as documenting life along its northern border with China and the highly militarized DMZ dividing North and South Korea. Short essays, extended captions, and a foreword by North Korea expert Bruce Cumings.
Call Number: DS 932.4 H37 ++Publication Date: 2007 (San Francisco: Chronicle Books)
North Korea by
"Philippe Chancel's photographs show how the political has been transfigured into an all-encompassing aesthetic, a totalitarian vision for a totalitarian regime ...Chancel's precise style, neutral but sophisticated, creates a scenography - not of a play, a film or an installation, but of a uniquely chilling reality."--BOOK JACKET.
Call Number: + DS 932.23 C43 2006Publication Date: 2006 (London: Thames & Hudson)
