In North Korea, the country is only celebrating its 75th founding anniversary in 2020 since the date of establishment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea. Although the country celebrates the founding anniversary each year, questions still arise as to what year North Korea is actually in. The official calendar is based on the Juche Year which is determined by the date and month of birth of former leader Kim Il Sung. North Korea is currently in the year Juche 109 and the state media reports things like daily activities and vital statistics, public events and dates in accordance with the Juche calendar.
What sets North Korea apart from other countries is the unique way it determines its official calendar. The Juche calendar is based on the birthday of former leader Kim Il Sung, who was born in 1912. This means that the national day of July 8th is the start of the year for the North Korean people. It is only during this publicly celebrated day that the North Koreans can discover the current year.
North Korea claims that the Juche calendar is designed to give the nation a sense of self-reliance. But many experts on the Korean peninsula view it as another way to keep citizens under tight surveillance. In fact, the Juche calendar was created in 1947, when the Soviet Union adopted the Gregorian calendar after being occupied by Japan during the Second World War. North Korea, a nation created at the time of Soviet absorption, adopted the Juche calendar to reflect its allegiance to the communist state.
From this peculiarity, North Korea is believed to be much further behind the rest of the world in terms of chronology. For example, the Soviet Union and its allies gave 1989 as their date of transition from the Gregorian calendar to the Juche calendar. While most of the world celebrated the turn of the millennium in December 1999, North Koreans celebrated it in April 2001 with the start of the Juche 90.
Today, the Gregorian calendar is widely used in North Korea, with official documents and reports given in Juche years and dates displayed in Gregorian years as a way to connect to the rest of the world. However, everyday North Koreans are told to use the Juche calendar for their daily lives.
The Juche calendar is still in use in North Korea today and is a source of fascination for those outside the country. It is an interesting reminder of the unique culture and traditions of the North Korean people. North Koreans are accustomed to celebrating their holidays and anniversaries based on the Juche calendar. To this day, North Korea remains the only country in the world to still use the Juche year.
Impact on North Korea’s Image
As well as providing a source of fascination, the Juche calendar affects how North Korea is perceived by the rest of the world. To many, the Juche calendar appears to be a sign of North Korea’s fixed and outdated ways of thinking. The use of the calendar is seen by many as a sign of North Korea’s reluctance to embrace modernity and change.
Most foreign observers of the country today see the calendar as a way for the government to discourage foreign contacts and to maintain a level of isolationism within the nation. This image has been reinforced by the fact that North Korea rarely celebrates international festivals such as the Gregorian New Year and other dates that are commonly celebrated in the West.
The Juche calendar also serves a propaganda purpose for North Korea. It is a reminder of the Kim Il Sung’s ideological teachings which encourage loyalty to the state and a sense of North Korean national pride. The North Korean government has used this calendar as a way to discourage foreign contacts, shut down access to international news and keep its people isolated from the outside world.
How North Korea Perceives Other Countries
The use of the Juche calendar affects the way North Korea views other countries. To North Koreans, other countries appear to be “behind” them in terms of years since their birth in Juche 109. This perception is seen in many aspects of the North Korean society, such as the inability to use common world terms. The North Koreans tend to use terms that are related to their date of birth, such as calling foreign countries “post-Kim Il Sung” countries or referring to events that happened after 1912 as being “recent” or “new.”
Despite the fact that many countries have adopted the Gregorian calendar, the North Koreans have been taught to think of their own traditions as superior to those of other nations. In addition, the North Korean government has claimed that the Juche calendar serves as a symbol of the nation’s progress and its devotion to Kim Il Sung, its founder.
The North Korean people, however, are not as attached to the calendar as the government would like them to be. North Koreans are aware of the importance and uniqueness of the Juche calendar but many do not feel a strong emotional connection to it. This can be attributed to the fact that their lives are lived according to the needs of the state, rather than their own desires.
International Perception of North Korea
The Juche calendar is seen by many outsiders as a symbol of North Korea’s isolationism and an illustration of the government’s reluctance to adopt international norms. It also contributes to the image of North Korea as a country which is resistant to change and modernisation, and unable to keep up with the rest of the world.
The Juche calendar is seen as an anachronism and a way for North Korea to maintain its insularity. North Korea’s continued adherence to the Juche calendar is viewed by many as a manifestation of the state’s isolationist policy. This in turn has further impacted the international perception of North Korea as a pariah state.
The Juche calendar is an interesting anomaly that is uniquely North Korean. It has a profound effect on the nation and how it is perceived by the rest of the world. By understanding the history and implications of the Juche calendar, it is possible to gain an insight into the idiosyncrasies of North Korea and its people and gain an understanding of the North Korean perspective.
Changes to the Juche Calendar
The Juche calendar remains a unique way for North Koreans to measure time and reflect on their history, but in recent years, it has been subject to numerous changes. In 2013, North Korea announced that it would reform the Juche calendar in light of recent reforms, to reconcile it with the international community. The reforms, which are yet to be fully implemented, aim to bring North Korea’s calendar more in line with global standards of the Gregorian calendar.
The changes made to the Juche calendar are intended to bring North Korea in line with the international calendar systems. These changes, if implemented, would be a sign that the North Korean government is willing to compromise to open itself up to foreign influences and move with the changing times. It remains to be seen how successful these reforms will be, but the changes could point to a more open and modern North Korean society.
Despite the proposed reforms, it is clear that the Juche calendar still serves as an important tool in North Korean society. It is a reminder of the nation’s unique culture and traditions as well as the government’s commitment to a backward-facing ideology. While the Juche calendar may be outdated and confusing for outsiders, for the North Korean people, it is a way of defining and celebrating their national story.
North Korea’s Economic Impact of the Juche Calendar
The Juche calendar has had a significant impact on North Korea’s economy, both in terms of domestic and international trade. North Korea’s adherence to the Juche calendar means that their economic calendar is not in line with international norms and business practices. This can create confusion when it comes to foreign trading partners, as they may struggle to accurately measure the real numbers and impacts of transactions when different calendars are used.
The Juche calendar has also impacted the country’s ability to attract foreign aid and investment. Many international organisations and businesses have stayed away or pulled out of North Korea due to the confusion and difficulties caused by the Juche calendar. The calendar is seen as an obstacle to doing business with North Korea, as it limits the ability of foreign companies to accurately measure the economic impact of their actions.
It is clear that North Korea’s adherence to the Juche calendar has had significant economic consequences for the country. The calendar, while unique and interesting, is seen by observers as a barrier to foreign trade and investment. Despite the changes proposed by the North Korean government, it is still viewed as an obstacle to international engagement.
Conclusion
What year does North Korea think it is? While North Korea officially celebrates the founding anniversary each year, the country is actually in the year Juche 109 according to the Juche calendar. The Juche calendar is an anomaly that is uniquely North Korean and has a profound effect on the nation and how it is perceived by the outside world. The calendar is seen as a symbol of North Korean isolationism, but also a reminder of the nation’s unique culture and traditions.
The Juche calendar has had significant economic consequences for North Korea. While the North Korean government has proposed reforms to bring it more in line with international standards, it is still seen as an obstacle to foreign trade and investment. Despite this, the Juche calendar remains an interesting and unique part of North Korean culture and serves as an important reminder of its unique place in history.
