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North Korea’s perception of Ahn Jung-geun and the process of its reinterpretation

  • The Journal of Northeast Asia Research
  • Abbr : NEA
  • 2014, 29(1), pp.49-78
  • DOI : 10.18013/jnar.2014.29.1.002
  • Publisher : The Institute for Northeast Asia Research
  • Research Area : Social Science > Political Science > International Politics > International Relations / Cooperation

Yun, Kyung-Seop 1

1성균관대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this essay is to review the reinterpretation of Ahn Jung-geun(안중근) and his killing of Ito Hirobumi(이등박문) in North Korean history. Until today he has been ranked as a famous Korean independence activist in both South and North Korea, however he has also been criticized on the basis of ‘terrorism’ in North Korea. This essay is to analyze the change of North Korea’s perception of Ahn Jung-geun by analysis of historical books, journal articles, and history textbooks. Attention is especially paid to the relation of the interpretation with the political environment. In the early stages, North Korea negatively understood An Jung-geun’s behavior by using the concept of ‘patriotic terrorist movement’(애국테러운동). But in the late 1950’s ~ early 1960’s North Korea’s attitude to An shifted to sympathy for the motive. Hereafter, Ahn Jung-geun‘s behavior was reinterpreted as a ’punishment of the chief instigator’(침략원흉 처단). Consequently, Ahn Jung-guen was reevaluated as a symbol of Korean’s resistance against the Japanese aggressors. In domestic politics the process of the reinterpretation has been proactive by Kim Il-Sung and the process of the reinterpretation was also intended to upgrade the political status of Kim Il-sung as leader.

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