"Baekdusan Spirit" at the Core of North Korea's Ideological Education
Citizens Urged to Visit Revolutionary Sites on Baekdusan
North Korea, which promotes Baekdusan as the site of Chairman Kim Il Sung's anti-Japanese resistance and the birthplace of National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il, is marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day by presenting Baekdusan as a symbol of overcoming adversity and urging its citizens to visit the mountain to cultivate revolutionary spirit. On August 12, Yonhap News reported that Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party, is emphasizing the spirit of Baekdusan in the lead-up to Liberation Day.
Around February, members of the North Korean National Youth League cadres were seen visiting the revolutionary sites in the Paektusan area day after day. Photo by Korean Central News Agency Yonhap News
On the front page of Rodong Sinmun that day, an article was published under the headline "Let Us Complete the Korean Revolution to the End with the Spirit of Baekdusan!" The article stated, "The great spirit that guarantees the everlasting vitality of our revolution is the Baekdusan spirit, created by the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners in the harsh snowstorms of Baekdu," and emphasized, "By arming ourselves even more firmly with the Baekdusan spirit created by the revolutionary forerunners and showing absolute loyalty to the ideas and leadership of our respected General Secretary (Kim Jong Un), we can vigorously advance toward greater victories."
On the same day, a separate article titled "Important Issues in Revolutionary Tradition Education at Present" was published on page three, once again stressing that "education through visits to revolutionary sites in the Baekdusan area is extremely important." The newspaper wrote, "One must always be aware that there is no graduation certificate from 'Baekdusan University,' and the march to Baekdusan must continue in spring, in summer, and throughout one's entire life."
North Korea promotes Baekdu Mountain as the site of anti-Japanese resistance led by Chairman Kim Il Sung and the birthplace of National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il, creating a "Baekdu Mountain Secret Camp" and using the term "Baekdu Mountain University." Korean Central News Agency Yonhap News
North Korea, which actively uses Baekdusan to maintain its regime, has established the "Baekdusan Secret Camp" and even uses the term "Baekdusan University." Previously, it has compared U.S. sanctions and economic difficulties to the anti-Japanese struggle, promoting the idea that these challenges can be overcome with the "Baekdusan spirit." As part of this ideological education, in 2019, Chairman Kim Jong Un demonstrated his resolve by leading a "horseback march" on Baekdusan immediately after the breakdown of the Hanoi North Korea-U.S. summit.
This propaganda surrounding the Baekdusan ideology has recently intensified. In particular, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, North Korea regards the "Baekdusan spirit" as central to ideological education for its citizens and is urging all levels of organizations to organize visits to revolutionary sites in the Baekdusan area. This month, despite the intense heat, responsible explanatory instructors from the National Women's League, junior propaganda officials, youth and students, as well as officials and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions, have all climbed Baekdusan one after another.
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