Analyzing the Structure of the North Korean Leader Myth and Creating the Kim Jong Un Myth

Abstract

Unlike the political mythologies of other nations, which mainly use symbolic means, the myths of North Korean leaders were completed through stories. Taking note of the fact, the research for this paper focused on the North Korean leaders’ myths in story-telling formats. The myth of the leader in North Korea first came into existence in 1967 as a history book. Analyzing the myth according to the structural myth theory, one can discern five steps to the North Korean myth. Comparing the structure of the North Korean leader myth to those of other Korean myths and of Joseph Campbell’s conception of myths, one sees that they have commonalities as myth and differences as a political mythology. The mythical structures of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il myths are matched except that the Kim Jong Il myth lacks dramatic effects as the figures who helped the leader to overcome hardships are unclear in phase four. The Kim Jong Il myth particularly omits the winning part in the final stage. For this reason, the citizens shifted the blame of the Arduous March only to Kim Jong Il, though it was the joint responsibility of both Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. As the founding myth, the Kim Il Sung myth has supported the rule of Kim Jong Un by performing such instrumental functions as to make North Koreans accept the hereditary succession through justification of the hereditary power transfer system, explain the North’s economic difficulties, and provide directions to overcome them, but it also has negative effects. Therefore, in order for Kim Jong Un to succeed in maintaining his regime, he must be able to bring about a myth of his own. There are several difficulties to matching a potential Kim Jong Un myth to the mythical structure of Kim Il Sung’s. In particular, if the Kim Jong Un myth should be completed, the new leader would have to actualize economic growth through reform and opening up. But achieving the goal is not going to be easy.