Chosen aspects of intangible and tangible legacies of Confucianism in North Korea

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the intangible and tangible assets related to Confucianism in North Korea. The study aims to demonstrate that there is a dichotomy between the official discourse, the adherence of the North Korean leaders to Confucian values, and the policy toward Confucian and neo-Confucian assets existing in North Korea. The method which is used in this essay is based on an analysis of various historical sources relevant to the description and analysis of the functions of Confucian and neo-Confucian assets in North Korea. It is concluded that the concepts of filial piety and the role of women were culturally transformed. This essay is based to a large extent on North Korean documents. It also briefly mentions North Korean researchers who studied Confucianism and neo-Confucianism in the Korean Peninsula. The answer to the research problem will allow us to determine what the place is of Confucianism in the official discourse and in the cultural heritage of North Korea. The essay also provides elements explaining why Confucian and neo-Confucian tangible assets constitute cultural and economic tools of North Korean government policy.