Between Influence and Transformation: Soviet Socialist Internationalism in North Korean Children's Literature

• In Event: Provincializing Internationalism: Periodicals, Publishers and Practices III: Envisioning

Abstract

This paper explores the influence of the Soviet Union on the early development of North Korean children’s literature and its overall didactic function in engendering socialist ideology. Following its division in the 1950s, North Korea looked to the Soviet Union as a guidebook for constructing its socialist state, epitomized by the slogan, “Learn from the Soviet Union.” Meanwhile, the Soviet Union regarded North Korea as a fraternal socialist country and took a stand to support it, a relationship that was forged as a part of building socialist internationalism. In this wave, children's literatures in both countries were emphasized as a crucial tool for educating young generations to build a socialist state. My paper examines the impact of Soviet influence on North Korean children's monthly magazine, Adong Munhak [Children's Literature], analyzing translation trends and practices of Soviet and North Korean children's literature during this formative era. The paper traces mechanisms and reasons behind the distinct development of North Korean socialism, with a specific focus on its divergence from both Soviet socialism and the broader socialist internationalism promoted by the Soviet Union.

Author

• Sooyeon Lee, U of Toronto (Canada)