Soviet Koreans in North Korean Literature

Abstract

This chapter examines the Soviet influence on North Korean literature by considering the activity of Russianized or Soviet Koreans, with particular emphasis on Cho Ki-ch'ŏn (1913–1951). Soviet Koreans combined a Soviet upbringing and mentality with a strong sense of belonging to the Korean ethnic community. They were regarded by the Soviet administration as invaluable intermediaries in dealing with North Korean society, and especially in the transformation of North Korean literature and the arts into crucial propaganda tools of the nascent Communist state. This chapter situates Cho within the political and literary context of his time. It analyzes Cho's impact on North Korean literature and literary politics of the late 1940s and early 1950s by turning to some of his works, including Paektusan (Paektu Mountain), and other poems glorifying socialist realism. It also discusses Cho's career during the Korean War and concludes by assessing his legacy.