The DPRK is hands-down the most mystified socialist state in the world. The government is considered irrational and crazy, Kim Jong Un is called a brutal dictator, and its people are said to be brainwashed and severely oppressed. The purpose of this series, Demystifying the DPRK, is to challenge widespread misconceptions and claims that we hear in the West. In Part one, we are focusing on religion. Most readers have probably heard the common claims: that there is no religious freedom, that owning a Bible is illegal, and that religious people are suppressed and persecuted by the state. So let's take a closer look and see if we can clear up some of this. The Religious Landscape of the DPRK Before we begin, there is a vital fact we need to bear in mind when discussing this topic. During the Korean War, US forces dropped 635,000 tons of bombs, including 32,557 tons of napalm on the DPRK¹, killing 20% of the population.² This devastating atrocity left virtually no...
Okay, I pull up. 🇰🇵