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This study aims to examine the effects of the narrative-oriented tendency of Yongak Lee's poetry on the praise of the socialist system and demagogy in relation to North Korea's policy of creative writing. Among 25 pieces of poems of Yongak Lee released in 『Joseon Literature』, a literature related monthly magazine of North Korea published by <Yeonbyeon Literature>, those showing the pattern of the time period were chosen and the narrative events revealed in his poems and individuals related were examined according to each stage in the history of North Korean literature. Yongak Lee acted and created works in North Korea from 1950 when he moved to North Korea to 1971 when he died. Thus, the time of his creative activity can be divided to the War Period for National Liberation (1950-1953), the Period of Establishing Socialism(1953-1958), the Time of Cheonrima Campaign(1958-1967), and the Time of Ilseong Kim's Self-reliance Ideology(1967-1989). 「With Brothers Fighting Anywhere」(『Joseon Literature - 7th Volume』, Jan 1952 Issue) describes the heroism of persons who were in a normal social position but risked their life in tribulations out of loyalty and camaraderie to Ilseong Kim during the War Period for National Liberation(1950-1953). In time, the narrative description of the 'popular heroes' behavior in North Korea Literature intended to show excellent models to people and promote their heroic behaviors. 『Pyeongnamgwan-gaesicho』(『Joseon Literature - the 15th volume』, Aug 1956 Issue) dealt with the magnificent historical facts on the power of the people changing the major stream, describing the romantic reality of labors and farmers who continued to change daily life. The 'popular heroes' in the wartime appear as 'workers' participating in group labor in the Period of Establishing Socialism(1953-1958), which well indicates how the characteristics of human changed as the goal of the party was converted from 'victory of war' to 'restoration and development of people's economy.' In the Time of Cheonrima Campaign(1958-1967), North Korea poets promoted Cheonrima Campaign to actively proceed with the postwar restoration work and socialist establishment in the full scale, and at the same time, continued to embody 'the liberation of North Korea,' another goal of theirs. 「In the Industrial Town of Honorary Soldiers」(『Joseon Literature』 - the 29th volume, Dec 1959 Issue) well shows that the war heroes in the War Period for National Liberation were reborn as 'the rider of Cheonrima horse' with passion for reform, as faithful heroes for the party. While the main actors in development of Communism in North Korea Literature before the Time of Self-reliance Ideology(1967-1989) were labors and farmers, since then only Ilseong Kim started to be highlighted as an idolized hero. 「In one Farmhouse」(『Joseon Literature - the 57th volume』, April 1968 Issue) presented Ilseong Kim as an excellent model for Communist culture, trying to educate the people with communist features. The poetic characters appearing in Yongak Lee's works tended to change according to each time period from 'popular heroes' in the War Period for National Liberation, to 'labors and farmers' in the Period of Establishing Socialism, to 'riders of Cheonrima horse' in the Time of Cheonrima Campaign, and to ‘Ilseong Kim’ in the Time of Ilseong Kim's Self-reliance Ideology, which is because heroic characters who were able to realize the values required in the time were highlighted as poetic characters and embodied in a narrative manner.

Yongak Lee, Joseon Literature, North Korea poetry, North Korea Literature, epic poetry, narrative-oriented tendency, Pyeongnamgwan- gaesicho