The religious phenomenon of Juche

Abstract

This study aims to determine the motive that led to the establishment of Juche by Kim Il Sung amidst the influence of communism and its transformation into religion in North Korea. North Korea is a communist country dictated by Kim Jong-Un of the Kim dynasty and known for its cruelty. The country underwent several changes from Marxism-Leninism to familism to determine its strength in Juche. This ideology that acts as a religion was influenced and strengthened Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong-Un and built by shifting the concept of marxism-Leninism to construct a new understanding of Juche. It will be demonstrated that this ideology was influenced by Confucianism, Christianity, Nationalism, Chinese Communism, and Russian Communism. In the modern era, imperialism was used as an ideological tool to restrict backwardness. This theory allegedly helped Kim Il-Sung establish a unitary, one-person rule over North Korea. ‘It will be examined whether Juche ideology is a tool the state has used to convince people of their government. Pronouncements, an intentional religion in which the people were to believe that their Ruler (Kim Il Sung) was a supreme human or an ideology that morphed into a religion’. It will be demonstrated that, when they started honoring Kim as their god, no other religion was permitted.

Contribution: This research offers readers an understanding of the value of humanity in the binding ideology of Juche. However, the Juche Ideology can serve as a missiological bridge towards mission goals, which require the experience of spiritual, physical, and social liberation.

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HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies
ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422
Page 1 of 7 Original Research
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Authors:
Fransiskus I. Widjaja1
Noh I. Boiliu2
Irfan F. Simanjuntak1
Joni M.P. Gultom1
Fredy Simanjuntak1
Aliaons:
1Graduate School, Faculty of
Theology, Real Theological
Seminary Batam (STT Real
Batam), Batam, Indonesia
2Chrisan Religious
Educaon, Teacher Training
and Educaon, Chrisan
University of Indonesia,
Jakarta, Indonesia
Corresponding author:
Fransiskus Widjaja,
irwanwidjaja.w@gmail.com
Dates:
Received: 02 Sept. 2020
Accepted: 12 Jan. 2021
Published: 28 Apr. 2021
How to cite this arcle:
Widjaja, F.I., Boiliu, N.I.,
Simanjuntak, I.F., Gultom,
J.M.P. & Simanjuntak, F. 2021,
‘The religious phenomenon
of Juche ideology as a
polical tool’, HTS Teologiese
Studies/ Theological Studies
77(4), a6324. hps://doi.org/
10.4102/hts.v77i4.6324
Copyright:
© 2021. The Authors.
Licensee: AOSIS. This work
is licensed under the
Creave Commons
Aribuon License.
Introducon
Kim Jong-un, the current leader of North Korea, is the successor of Kim Jong II. ‘Jong-Il pioneered
and established the ideological foundation as a means of policy implementation and sustaining
power’ (Park 2014:1–14). It shows the concept of ‘familism, socialism and religious politics’
(Armstrong 2005:383–394). The family as a primary social unit is the starting point for emerging
political figures, including ‘religious leaders’. Armstrong’s article reacts to Sergei Kurbanov’s
research on North Korea’s Juche ideology: primitive communism or traditional thinking?
It will be examined whether Juche ideology is a tool the state has used to convince people of their
government’s pronouncements, an intentional religion in which the people were to believe that
their Ruler (Kim Il-Sung) was a supreme human or an ideology that morphed into a religion
(Bandow 2019).
The citizens were made to respect and accept these teachings.
North Korea is always in the global media, and it is often reported as a dangerous, provocative,
irrational, poor and totalitarian country. Several dominant metaphors appeared (Dalton 2019) in
the coverage. These framed North Korea as a military threat (conflict metaphor), unpredictable,
irrational and ruthless (psychopathology metaphor), isolated and secretive (pariah metaphor)
and a cruel dystopia (Orwellian metaphor) impoverished (basket-case metaphor).
However, it is one of the poorest nations that metaphorically isolate itself from the rest of the
world. It is referred to as the Hermit Kingdom (Griffis 2009:66) derived from the Chosun Dynasty.
To date, it is known as the ‘Hermit kingdom’, notably when it closed its borders to foreigners and
restricted its citizens from travelling abroad since the Korean War in 1950.
Juche ideology is a form of idol worship. Juche ideology is a form of idol worship. In this case,
Juche ideology has been developed into a world or a personal view of life. As Goudzwaard said in
This study aims to determine the motive that led to the establishment of Juche by Kim Il
Sung amidst the influence of communism and its transformation into religion in North
Korea. North Korea is a communist country dictated by Kim Jong-Un of the Kim dynasty and
known for its cruelty. The country underwent several changes from Marxism-Leninism to
familism to determine its strength in Juche. This ideology that acts as a religion was influenced
and strengthened Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong-Un and built by shifting the concept of marxism-
Leninism to construct a new understanding of Juche. It will be demonstrated that this
ideology was influenced by Confucianism, Christianity, Nationalism, Chinese Communism,
and Russian Communism. In the modern era, imperialism was used as an ideological tool to
restrict backwardness. This theory allegedly helped Kim Il-Sung establish a unitary, one-
person rule over North Korea. ‘It will be examined whether Juche ideology is a tool the state
has used to convince people of their government. Pronouncements, an intentional religion in
which the people were to believe that their Ruler (Kim Il Sung) was a supreme human or an
ideology that morphed into a religion’. It will be demonstrated that, when they started
honoring Kim as their god, no other religion was permitted.
Contribution: This research offers readers an understanding of the value of humanity in the
binding ideology of Juche. However, the Juche Ideology can serve as a missiological bridge
towards mission goals, which require the experience of spiritual, physical, and social liberation.
Keywords: ideology; Juche; North Korea; religion; political.
The religious phenomenon of Juche
ideology as a polical tool
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Ginkel (Ginkel 1982), when an individual or group of persons
has chosen a particular goal and when that goal becomes the
only way of giving meaning to life, then, said Goudzwaard,
that individual or group is on the way to forming an ideology.
He further links idolatry to come together with ideology
when the goals set become so crucial that the means of
attaining them become idols.
Foreigners had limited access to information apart from
those communicated by the early missionaries. In 1884, the
first Protestant missionary from the United States of America
visited the country. Revivals began on the Korean peninsula
in 1906 and climaxed in 1909 when the Pentecostal
spiritual movement ‘A million souls for Christ’ occurred
(Lamport 2018:431).
Widjaja visited Pyong Yang, capital of North Korea, from
29 October to 03 November 2018 to look into the social
life context. A lot needs to be understood regarding this
country.
North Korea is still governed by the legacies left by its
founder Kim Il-Sung who died in 1994. Following the Juche
philosophy, which is also signified in its meaning ‘Ju’ depicts
owner, or lord whilst ‘che’ implies body, essence or existence,
and nature. This meaning is similar to the basic philosophical
principle usually expressed in Korea, which stated that ‘man
is the master of everything and decides everything’
(Kurbanov 2019:296–305).
Furthermore, when the author and team travelled to North
Korea, they saw several banners with a proverb, which stated
that ‘Kim Il-Sung lives forever. The citizens see Kim Il-Sung
as a god. The recent inception of the former dictator’s
worship has become one of the world’s acclaimed religions,
with approximately 23 million followers. It is more famous
than most renowned faiths globally, such as Judaism,
Sikhism, Jainism, Bahaism and Zoroastrianism. However,
according to Belke, Juche ideology is the tenth-largest religion
that has not been studied from the missiological perspective
(Belke 1999:1).
Subsequently, other religions are not permitted, except for the
worship of Kim Il-Sung. Newbigin (Newbigin 1989:66)
reported that ‘throughout history, all religions globally have
been developed in the tradition of sustainable, rational
arguments. They have all attracted the professor’s authority
in the past’. It is suggested in the writings of Newbigin that
an ideology can develop into a religion that the present
author identifies with the Korean Confucian tradition. The
author sees that it is an aspect of the North Korean pluralism
reported by Newbigin (Newbigin 1989:1). ‘In Western
ideology, pluralism is considered an appropriate characteristic
of a secular society that lacks an officially approved pattern of
belief or behaviour.
Therefore, it is also presumed as a free society because
accepted dogmas do not control it; rather, it is mainly
characterised by an important spiritual being’. Widjaja
(2019:591; cf. Widjaja & Boiliu on a plurality [Widjaja & Boiliu
2019]) stated that pluralism is a condition that encompasses a
society that tolerates diversity. Korean culture has tended
towards being mono-ideological because it always had a
single ideology, Confucianism. Widjaja defined this new
religion and the North Korean society as having a natural
affinity towards communism.
Research method
The data collection technique is carried out in two ways:
firstly, the literature study method searches for various
literature and other credible sources related to the research
topic directly in the Juche library. Secondly, by conducting
interviews to gather information or perceptions from
informants regarding the issue, the author wanted to research
whilst travelling in North Korea. The historical and
descriptive approach was applied in this study. The author
visited the Juche Center located in Pyongyang from 30
October to 02 November 2018. Two persons accompanied the
author during the trip: Ms. Kim, a young lady, as an
interpreter and an old gentleman (67 years) as a tour guide.
They are both interviewed and several individuals met at the
centre (principles of Juche Center), and librarians were also
interviewed regarding Juche ideology.
This research tries to describe the Juche ideology and the
North Korean society’s pluralistic conditions and examines
the missiological paradigm contextualisation in their social
culture. This research also interpreted the theological
vocation of the church in a pluralistic world. Widjaja sees the
pluralistic society of North Korea as a bridge for doing
contextualised evangelistic task.
Result and discussion
In 1994 after Il-Sung’s death, North Korea was hit by severe
famine ; the successor Kim Jong-Il opened the United Nations
(UN) and Non-Government organization (NGOs) borders
assistance. At this point, foreigners realised they had a biased
view of North Korean culture and religion. The puzzles
concerning Kim Il-Sungism started to be understood (Lee
2018). The world could not develop a holistic picture because
previous studies on North Korea did not approach Korean
ideology from an ethnic position. We have been able to gain
new insights from defectors who gave us a new understanding
of Juche theology and its development, and its becoming a
religion. However, the complete picture was not detected
because ethnic approaches did not wholly analyse the pieces.
The previous studies were carried out from the political
perspective rather than a missiological concept. However,
some defectors aided in understanding the Juche ideology
and why it was developed as a North Korean religion. Hwang
Jang-Yup, an engineer primarily responsible for crafting
Juche, defected from North Korea in 1997 (Kihl & Kim
2015:62). It gave foreigners an insight into Kim II Sungism
that led to the factors that influenced Juche theology being
identified.

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Confucianism inuence
Kim Il-Sung was raised in a typical Korean family under the
influence of Confucianism. Irrespective of the fact that
most of them had survived under Shamanism’s influence
(belief in a supernatural being is the earliest form of
religious practice). Shamans (Kim 1998:33) are healers or
spiritual leaders believed to interact with the spirit world
through altered states of consciousness such as trance.
Consequently, when they are unconscious, their souls leave
their bodies and travel beyond a spirit guide. They carry out
various forms of healing, namely physical, psychological
and spiritual.
Confucianism filled the Shamanism structured teaching gap,
and it is the Chosun’s leading religion (Young 2013:51–66).
The Confucian philosophy was introduced in Korea 1600
years ago from China. Its originator Confucius lived from 551
BC to 479 BC, and the doctrines were humanistic and
philosophical teachings concerning the importance of family
and social harmony. It focused on the way of life (Lee 2018).
Confucius taught moral and political values to control the
people authoritatively. Moreover, patriotism was also
included. Besides, some other scholars added different ethics
to the original philosophy, emphasising that a well-behaved
lifestyle on earth leads to a better life after death. Finally,
ancestral worship was included, and it was observed as a
religion (Lee 2018).
In 1392, the Chosun Dynasty (Griffis 2009:73) replaced
Buddhism, the Koryo Kingdom’s recognised religion, with
Confucianism, which forces people to obey their teachers,
fathers and king. It consists of strict rules following
maintaining a hierarchically structured society. The king
rules with the monarchy and is above the law. Fathers were
also the heads of household and their decisions are final.
Under the influence of Confucianism, this patriarchal society
maintains a strict structured order and does not allow
individual family members’ freedom. Women do not have a
say in family matters; instead, they obey the men’s rankings
in the household. The eldest son is the only person who has
authority over the house layout. The father’s obligation and
duty is to maintain power in a society influenced by
Confucianism (Griffis 2009:73).
Chrisanity inuence
Kim Il-Sung was born in 1912, 2 years after Japan annexed
Korea (Kim 1992:17). His father, Kim Hyung-Jik, gained
admission into Soong-Shil Junior High School in Pyongyang
(Kim 1992:4), an academy established by missionaries in 1897
to educate and raise Christian leaders in Korea. Irrespective
of the fact that Kim Hyung-Jik did not complete his education,
Kim was enlightened, and the school broadened his
worldview. Kim was fortunate to travel outside Korea with
the help of the foreign Christian teachers. Kim Hyung-Jik
became a nationalist and started fighting for Chosun’s
independence.
Kim Il-Sung’s family migrated to China when Kim was aged
5 years because the Japanese police threatened his father
because of the anti-Japanese movement’s threats. Kim’s
father studied the Lenin Revolution in Russia and told Kim
Il-Sung about it, hoping to influence Korea. (Kim 1992:79).
Kim Il-Sung witnessed how his father fought the Japanese to
regain their independence. Kim’s father taught him the
Christian faith values, thereby causing Kim to view the
world’s religious disposition. Numerous Christians
influenced Kim’s father because the Japanese had taken
advantage of them for their worship of God. The father’s
patriotism led to the development of Christian social religion’.
Although Kim Il-Sung reported in the memoir of his father
that he was an atheist (Kim 1992:20). Kim Il-Sung also stated
that his mother was only a churchgoer and not a born again
Christian (Kim 1992:79). Although Kim Il-Sung had frequently
attended a church at a young age, Kim categorically stated
that they did not believe in Jesus as their saviour.
However, it is the reason the political system of the North
Korean government resembles the order of the Presbyterian
church, thereby providing evidence of the influence of
Christianity on the life of Kim.
Communism inuence in China
Kim Il-Sung returned to China at the age of 14 and was
trained as an anti-Japanese guerrilla. In 1926 (Kim 1992:96),
Kim learned to fight after studying Korean history. During
this period, Kim studied Chinese communism and war
strategies from militaristic organisations. Koreans allied with
the Chinese revolutionary army to fight the Japanese who
had invaded eastern China. Whilst in the camp, Kim started
reading and studying Communism by Marx and Lenin,
which was not included in the training curriculum
(Belke 1999:171).
Kim formulated ‘The Way of the Korean Revolution’ on June
30, 1930, in China. Kim reported that ‘the leaders’ of the
movement needed to be amongst the masses (people) to
make them understand that they are fighting a political war,
against the ‘anti-Japanese struggle’ (Belke 1999:170). Kim’s
approach of combining communism and religion led to the
Juche being founded, which insisted that the state become
autonomous without other countries’ interference.
Subsequently, Kim joined and participated in the anti-
Japanese guerrilla war in Manchu, China. Kim fought as a
commander at Bo-Chun-Bo and Mu-San from 1937 to 1939,
respectively. Kim was only 27 years old then, which led to the
recognition by the Soviet Union as a ‘general’ that fought
against the Japanese (Kim 2003:106).
The inuence of Russian communism
The Korean peninsula is one of the oldest and most dangerous
conflict-prone areas globally (Ponomareva & Rudov 2015:
45–56). According to the biography, Kim stated the war’s
happenings in 1940 during the International Communist
Party’s Conference held by the Soviet Union. Kim was

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guaranteed the support of an organised and trained force to
fight against the Japanese troops in Manchu, China. The
Soviet Union needed someone to introduce Chosun in
communist Russia, a satellite country. Kim was appointed as
the commander of the Chosun People’s Revolution and was
given the southern camp (Kim 1992:71). Kim was assigned to
combat Japanese expansion in the Khabarovsk region. In
1942, during the summer of 1942, China and the Soviet Army
formed a joint force and attacked Japan.
Kim was an aggressive communist soldier and was favoured
by Stalin. On 25 August 1945, the Soviet Union special forces
entered Pyongyang City without resistance from the Japanese
Army (Seth 2018:27). Kim was only 33 years old then. Kim
gained power in North Korea because of the help of the
Soviets and was surrounded by advisers from the Union
(Belke 1999:171). On 25 August 1948, Kim was elected as the
Prime Minister because of the influence of Marxist communism
and the brutal application of Stalin’s Soviet-style policies
(Seth 2018:27). With the Soviet Union’s military assistance,
Kim invaded South Korea in 1950 over the 38th parallel line
drawn at Potsdam, Germany, in 1945. Kim desired to bring
the peninsula under communism. The war continued until
the United States signed the Armistice agreement in
collaboration with the United Nations on 27 July 1953.
Formaon of Juche ideology
The dogma of Marxism–Leninism, without a doubt, was
accepted as the law from 1945 to 1952 (Belke 1999:173).
Kim focused on rebuilding the country destroyed by a war
based on the Russian communist system. Furthermore, Kim
broadened the teachings of Stalin’s Communist-policies in
the country.
After Stalin’s death on 05 March 1953, Russia experienced
chaos because of a lack of a strong leader. Stalin’s death also
led to specific political challenges in North Korea because
they withdrew their support, and the Chinese sought to
exercise control over the nation. Kim founded the Juche
ideology in its embryo form as a means to justify a series of
brutal cleansing to cut off excessive Soviet and Chinese
influences and eliminate political rivals (Belke 1999:173). Kim
(28 December 1955) stated that North Korea needs to become
independent following the Juche ideology. Kim’s speech was
titled ‘Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Building
Juche in Ideological Work’. The Workers’ Party in North
Korea started to develop this idea and new policies began to
emerge. It is one of the most powerful ideologies that incite
people’s quest for independence and ‘appeals to creativity at
the highest level but a creativity that brings captivity and
bondage’ (Col 2:8):
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and
empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according
to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according
to Christ.
All those who desired to be independent united and
cooperated with support from the communist manifesto
and constitution (Kementerian Unifikasi Korsel, Institute
for Military History dan Agency for KIA Recovery &
Identification di Kementerian Pertahanan Korea Selatan
2020).
It was reported that the country was under new communism
different from Marx or Lenin’s ideology. This unique
development of combining a Marxist of Lenin’s ideology
with Confucianism led to Juche ideology, defended by Kim’s
dictatorship (Jang-yop 1999:127).
The principle ‘Juche’ considers the fact that generally humans
are the driving force in history (Grzelczyk 2012:33–68) and
‘are the master of their destiny’.
Kim Jong-Il joined the Communist Party after graduating
from the university in 1964. Kim increasingly fought the
struggle for the North Korean leader succession. It led to
competitive personal deification in which Stalin was involved
by supporting economic aid and rebuilding North Korea
after war (Jang-yop 1999:1292).
In 1972, Kim Jong-Il conferred the Juche Tower and the new
Doctrine on the father’s 60th birthday.
Pyongyang stated that Juche is an ideology completely
different from Marxism–Leninism. These changes were
reflected in the constitution in 1974. The new form disclosed
that the people supported their leaders.
Kim Il-Sung was seen as a god. It contradicts the statement
made by Kim Il-Sung before joining Marxist communism.
‘Religion is a superstitious belief, irrespective of whether an
individual believes in Christianity or Buddhism.
Historically, religion has been dominated by the ruling class
and is used as a tool to deceive, exploit and oppress people.
Presently, imperialism has been used as an ideological tool to
curb backwardness (Kim 2017:160).
Hwang stated that ‘assuming the “Juche” doctrine is
summarised in one sentence, it tends to be reported as the
ruler (Kim Il-Sung) is the inviolable god who is in absolute
control and conducts the affairs of the society because they
are perceived as almighty (Jang-yop 1999:147). North Korea
has a religion in which Kim Il-Sung is worshipped following
the Juche.
Juche culture
The author’s visit to North Korea could not produce an
accurate missiological study because of its limited nature.
The movement of foreigners and citizens is restricted in this
nation. The author could not leave the hotel without an escort
and could not visit many cities. People are not aware of each
others’ activities because freedom of movement is prohibited.

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Therefore, because of this fact, this study is based on the
author’s observations of Juche’s religious view.
The restriction of movement has been instrumental in the
formation of a Juche culture. It is the control of communication
through the limiting of movement and access to technology
that has entranced Juche culture (Güven 2019).
Death of God
The citizens were shocked when Kim Il-Sung died in 1994;
some of them even fainted. Several of them cried for days
because it was not the death of an ordinary person (Seth
2018:154). Incredibly, many North Koreans believed and
hoped that Kim Il-Sung was an immortal being. From a
foreigners’ perspective, it is hard to believe that the people
thought that Kim, a human was immortal. After Kim Il-Sung’s
death, Kim Jong-Il immediately made a banner that stated
that ‘Kim Il-Sung lives forever among them’. Kim Jong-Il led
people to honour the father, Kim Il-Sung, under Confucian
ancestor worship and spiritual being under the Juche ideology.
Juche’s religious pracces
Consequently, whenever foreigners visit North Korea and
make inquiries on the definition of Juche, only a few people
provide accurate answers, according to Juche’s guide book
(2008:17). They have been indoctrinated to act and dwell
under the Juche ideology in which Kim Il-Sung teaches that
‘Humans are the master of the universe and are in control of
their destinies as well as the right to have it developed’ (Juche
Guideline 2008:15). ‘From an atheist’s point of view, man’s
absolute ability to control his destiny has replaced the belief
in God’s existence’. Lee (2018) testified as a defector after
studying the Bible and having discovered God and wrote
that Juche is a concept adopted from the Bible. It might be
agreed on one hand because the Bible attributed a high value
on human life. Yet, Christianity teaches that human life is
subject to God’s authority. Thus, a human being is God’s
appointed steward responsible for keeping God’s
commandment and glorifying God (Cho 2002).
Furthermore, Christianity rejects the concept of absolute
human power. On the contrary, Christians are believed to
live by imitating Christ, who, although in God’s image,
humbled and emptied himself to bring salvation and renewal
to human life. So, there is quite a significant difference
between Juche ideology and Christianity. Although North
Koreans are not aware of this ideology’s influences, they had
been taught to observe Juche. They make individual life
decisions without acknowledging God’s existence, and they
have a humanistic worldview as a result. Many North
Koreans are not aware or have never heard of Christianity or
that Jesus came to save humanity; however, they believe in
Communist materialism and its evolution. North Korea built
over 40 000 statues of Kim Il-Sung in the country (Lee 2018).
Married couples usually visit the statue to take pictures. It
validates their marriage after the ceremony. They often see
with flowers to honour their gods.
Every city centre has a Juche ideology study room and a
temple to worship Kim Il-Sung. North Koreans enter this
Hall in holiness, and people are prohibited from speaking
out loud except to pay respect in the form of worship. People
visit this place in holiness, communicate their desires and
receive spiritual power.
North Korea church
In 1958, all the churches in North Korea were destroyed and
believers eliminated by the communists during the anti-
intelligence movement. The remaining ones were underground
and remained as universal, invisible churches (Lee 2018).
Ocial church
The communist even closed a church approved by the
government in 1958 and reopened it in 1972 to show the
world that there is religious freedom similar to South Korean
Christianity.
Underground church
The exact number of underground believers in North Korea
is unknown. However, 16 984 martyrs have been recorded
from 1945 to 2006. It shows the existence of underground
churches in this nation (Lee 2018). It was discovered that
approximately 66% of the martyrs were converted to
Christianity before 1945, their parents influenced 20%, 11%
reported that they were Christians and 2% stated that they
encountered God in China (Lee 2009).
Juche as a polical tool
To establish Juche means ‘to be revolutionised and reconstructed
in the nation itself’ (Lee 1997). It becomes the basis for the rise
of ‘totalitarianism’ (Park 2008), in which the mechanism is to
create figures as deified. In principle, ‘politics uses religion or
religion uses politics’ (Linz 2004). The point is ‘to create power
as widely and as strong as possible’ (Schafer 2004) ‘as “dictator
and fascism” (Gregor 2012) where “the principle of fascism is
the state as religion” (Armstrong 2016). Juche is used as a
political tool (religious politics) in North Korea. Historically,
Juche was also rooted in Marxism, because for Khazanov,
‘Marxism–Leninism as a secular religion’ (Khazaniv 2008).
Therefore, the theory that religion can be used as a political tool
or politically using religion is correct, as is North Korea’s case.
Juche did not offer salvation such as religion in general, but
Juche found it a political tool of totalitarianism. The
indoctrination that has taken place in North Korea through the
instrument of Juche ideology and it is a barrier that undermines
the introduction of other ideologies and religion.
Missiological perspecve
A missiological perspective on Juche opens a broad view of
the universal value of human beings. Juche valued humans as
the master of the universe and are in control of their destinies
as well as the right to have it developed, but his deviation was
the abuse of one person. This article also wants to show that

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the mission’s purpose is to convey that all people experience
liberation spiritually, physically and socially.
In the present context, the church cannot perform its mission
because of the socio-political problems.
However, the task cannot be understood in the narrow sense
of preaching the Gospel to North Korea’s people.
This article encourages and voices that everyone has
an equal position before God in the Christian mission
perspective. The act of suppressing individual rights in
North Korea is deviant. Therefore, the idea of ‘individual
equality’ in Juche must be upheld (cf. Widjaja, Simanjuntak
& Boiliu 2020:189–193).
Conclusion
Juche’s ideology was influenced by Confucianism,
Christianity, Nationalism, Chinese and Russian communism.
North Korean liberators modified Russian communism.
Subsequently, Kim Jong-Il changed communism into a
religion according to the Juche doctrine, making the people
believe that Kim was immortal.
Kim Il-Sung initially opposed religion because Kim believed
it is superstitious to either believe in Jesus or Buddhism.
Historically, religion has been dominated by the ruling class
and is used as a tool to deceive, exploit and oppress the
people. In the modern era, imperialism was used as an
ideological tool to restrict backwardness.
The North Koreans were made to worship Kim with Juche as
the political philosophy of a ruling government. However, it
was transformed into religion because the people believed
that the ruler (Kim Il Sung) is not elected; instead, he is a
supreme human.
Therefore, when the people started to honour Kim as their
god, no other religion was permitted. It led to an increase
in the persecution of underground churches because of
various reasons. Generally, Marxist communism does not
allow Christianity because the Christian faith does not
support materialism adhered to by the communists. Lenin
called it ‘the opium of the masses’, and it tends to destroy
the society.
The author reported that there are similarities between Juche
ideology and Confucianism. Initially, they started as
philosophies, although later converted to religion for their
selfish political reasons. Juche has become a major religious
force that has manoeuvered North Korea to replace traditional
Marxist communism.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Winson Simamora, Nelsong
Sembiring, Wellhelem Manuhutu and Berliando Lumban
Toruan to accompany and help the author (Fransiskus Irwan
Widjaja) in collecting the information to North Korea and for
documentation and partner for discussion during their time in
North Korea in 2018. The authors are grateful to Mr Noh I.
Boiliu for editing and providing additional supporting articles.
The authors are also thankful to Mr Irfan Feriando Simanjuntak
for delivering the concept and required description and Mr
Joni Manumpak Parulian Gultom for reviewing this article
before its publication. The authors also thank Mr Fredy
Simanjuntak for taking part in the sentence editing process.
Compeng interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal
relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them
in writing this article.
Authors’ contribuons
All authors contributed equally to this research article.
Funding informaon
This research received no specific grant from any funding
agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data
were created or analysed in this study.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of
the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or
position of any affiliated agency of the authors.
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