With the Century
Author | Kim Il Sung | |
---|---|---|
Country | North Korea | |
Language | Korean | |
Subject |
| |
Genre | LC Class | DS934.6.K5 A3 1992 |
With the Century | |
Chosŏn'gŭl | |
---|---|
Hancha | 世紀와 더불어 |
Revised Romanization | Segiwa deobuleo |
McCune–Reischauer | Segi wa tŏburŏ |
In a ruined country neither the land nor the people can remain at peace. ... A man who perceives this truth before others is called a forerunner; he who struggles against difficulties to save his country from tragedy is called a patriot; and he who sets fire to himself to demonstrate the truth and overthrows the injust society by rousing the people to action is called a revolutionary.
From "My family", section one of "Land of Misfortunes", the first chapter of With the Century (Volume 1)[1]
Reminiscences: With the Century (
Authorship of With the Century is disputed, with some claiming that it was written by professional writers instead of Kim Il Sung himself.
History
Until the 1960s, Kim Il Sung had encouraged his fellow revolutionaries to publish their memoirs, and generals such as
In 1974, Kim announced that he would write his memoirs.[5] According to Kim himself, before that he had spared little thought about writing his memoirs. When Kim Jong Il assumed the office of Secretary for Organizational Affairs, Kim Il Sung was allowed more time to focus on his writing. Kim also describes being encouraged to write his memoirs by literary people and foreign statesmen.[6] With the Century was written in 1992 when Kim was in his 80s, two years prior to his death.[7] Initially the memoirs were supposed to span 90 chapters in 30 volumes comprising five parts: "The Anti-Japanese Revolution", "People's Country", "Along the Road of Socialism", "The Nation's Desire", and "Turning Point of Century".[5] However, only the first six volumes of part one, "The Anti-Japanese Revolution", were completed before Kim's death and two additional volumes were published posthumously.[5][8]
Kim Il Sung's ideological influences
The memoirs suggest that Kim Il Sung was influenced by
The memoirs disclose that the
The memoirs reveal the impact of Kim Il Sung's knowledge of religion and scholarship of literary classics and art on the theory of Juche.[9] Juche ideology has been interpreted as being similar to Cheondoism, as both think that people are the masters of their own fates. Despite the various early religious influences, Kim Il Sung frowned upon the practice of religion, and instead demanded near-religious loyalty and adherence to the militaristic rules that are part of living in North Korea.[6][7] In the preface of With the Century, Kim writes: "'The people are my God' has been my constant view and motto. The principle of Juche, which calls for drawing on the strength of the masses who are the masters of the revolution and construction, is my political creed."[11]
Volumes
# | Title | Author | Publisher | Date | Genre | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Reminiscences: With the Century 1[12] | Kim Il Sung[12] | Foreign Languages Publishing House[12] | 1994 (English ed.)[1] | Autobiography | 357 pages (English)[1] | |
Volume 1 includes the book's chapters for the time period between April 1912 – May 1930. Kim Il Sung tells about his childhood, youth and family in detail and how he came to join the communist rebels and the Korean independence struggle. His father Kim Hyong-jik was a member of the March 1st Movement, founding member of the Korean National Association, and actively resisting the Japanese when Kim Il Sung was still a child. The first volume ends with Kim Il Sung in prison. | |||||||
2 | Reminiscences: With the Century 2[12] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 1994 (English ed.)[13] | Autobiography | 466 pages (English)[13] | |
Volume 2 includes the book's chapters for the time period between May 1930 – February 1933. After being released from prison Kim Il Sung is in the middle of the 30 May and 1 August uprisings at the 18 September Incident Kim Il Sung and his comrades decide to prepare for the coming armed struggle. However, in the end after many battles, Kim Il Sung and his comrades-in-arms have to ponder the National Salvation Army 's situation in Manchuria. | |||||||
3 | Reminiscences: With the Century 3[12] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 1993 (English ed.)[14] | Autobiography | 586 pages (English)[14] | |
Volume 3 includes the book's chapters for the time period between February 1933 – February 1935. Kim Il Sung arrives at Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army had to withdraw towards the Soviet Siberian border. | |||||||
4 | Reminiscences: With the Century 4[12] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 1993 (English ed.)[15] | Autobiography | 477 pages (English)[15] | |
Volume 4 includes the book's chapters for the time period between February 1935 – May 1936. As Kim Il Sung is exhausted by illness, the expedition to north Manchuria had ended in victory and the Korean communists had a new hope for developing the revolution. As 25,000-li journey, Kim Il Sung's comrades cross the Laoyeling Mountains . The first national united anti-Japanese body, the Association for the Restoration of the Fatherland ], is founded at the foot of the Mount Paektu in May 1936 giving a new dawn for the national liberation. | |||||||
5 | Reminiscences: With the Century 5[12] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 1994 (English ed.)[16] | Autobiography | 414 pages (English)[16] | |
Volume 5 includes the book's chapters for the time period between May 1936 – March 1937. Spring of 1936 had been an unusual and busy time, as the Association for the Restoration of the Fatherland was founded, the Mount Paektu base was being planned and established, and a new division was formed. However, two forces in the Korean People's Revolutionary Army ]'s activities. | |||||||
6 | Reminiscences: With the Century 6[12] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 1995 (English ed.)[17] | Autobiography | 407 pages (English)[17] | |
Volume 6 includes the book's chapters for the time period between March 1937 – November 1937. Kim Il Sung decides to start an expedition to Fusong across the Changbai Mountains, and later on leads his comrades in the Battle of Pochonbo. As Kim Il Sung's troops were operating in Fusong and Mengjiang counties, the Japanese fabricated the Hyesan Incident , one of the most serious blows to the Korean revolution according to Kim Il Sung. | |||||||
7 | Reminiscences: With the Century 7 (Continuing edition)[18] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 2007 (English ed.)[18] | Autobiography | 333 pages (English)[18] | |
Volume 7 includes the book's chapters for the time period between November 1937 – March 1940. In the winter of 1937, the Korean People's Revolutionary Army was training in the eastern part of the Mengjiang County at the secret Matanggou forest base. The last of the nationalist anti-Japanese forces were in decline, and about to join forces with Kim Il Sung. The Korean People's Revolutionary Army embarks on the Changbai County . According to Kim Il Sung, this was the bitterest time of the independence struggle. | |||||||
8 | Reminiscences: With the Century 8 (Continuing edition)[19] | Kim Il Sung | Foreign Languages Publishing House | 1998 (English ed.)[19] | Autobiography | 407 pages (English)[19] | |
Volume 8 includes the book's chapters for the time period between March 1940 – August 1945. Kim Il Sung holds a conference in Xiaohaerbaling to adopt a new strategic policy, after having encircled and beaten the Maeda punitive force at the Battle of Hongqihe. Later on Kim Il Sung starts his final campaign for the liberation of Korea, and the Soviet Union invades Manchuria. |
Publication
The first six volumes of With the Century were published before Kim's death in 1994. The seventh and eight volumes were published posthumously.[8] The volumes have been reprinted as part of at least two collections: the 50-volume Kim Il-Sung: Works (김 일성 저작 선집; Kim Il-sŏng chŏjakchip)[20] and the 100-volume Complete Collection of Kim Il Sung's Works (김 일성 전집; Kim Il-sŏng chŏnjip).[21][22] The volumes are also included with the North Korean made tablet computer Samjiyon. In addition to the full eight volumes, the electronic library on the tablet includes the 50-volume Works which holds the first 18 chapters of With the Century.[23]
Translations exist in 20 languages,[24] including Chinese, Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Russian, German and Arabic.[25]
Reception
In North Korea, With the Century holds an important role in culture and society and is genuinely popular. There it is a major source of the myth of the "anti-Japanese" struggle in propaganda.[26] Western scholars, on the other hand, have focused on the historicity of events portrayed in the memoirs and have critically assessed the value of With the Century as a historical source. The omnipresence of With the Century has also been linked to Kim's cult of personality.[27]
Popularity in North Korea
Despite its political nature and conformity with the official political line of the state, With the Century enjoys genuine popularity in North Korea.
The work typifies the attitude of North Korean propaganda toward military affairs. Military decisions are not based on strategy and reason but emotional conviction to a cause.[32]
Ban in South Korea
The book is
In April 2021, the memoirs were published by a publisher in South Korea, causing great controversy.
Western commentary on historicity and authorship
With the Century is one of the few North Korean
According to Hwang Jang-yop, With the Century was not written by Kim Il Sung himself but was composed by professional writers and journalists.
See also
References
Citations
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ a b Victor Cha; Ji-Young Lee (26 August 2013). "Politics of North Korea". Oxford Bibliographies. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ Hwang Jang Yop (2002). "The Problems of Human Rights in North Korea". Columbia Law School. Archived from the originalon 2 July 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-317-56741-7. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
- ^ KCNA. 8 July 2002. Archived from the originalon 2 April 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-86064-414-6.
- ^ a b "Mt Paektu holds key role in N Korea lore". Taipei Times. AP. 9 April 2012. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8014-6879-7. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e David-West, Alzo (January 2009). "The Literary Ideas of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il: An Introduction to North Korean Meta-Authorial Perspectives" (PDF). Cultural Logic. 12: 5–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-803810-8.
- OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Kim Il Sung Reminiscences". Naenara. Korea Computer Center in DPRKorea & Foreign Languages Publishing House. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Kim Il-sŏng chŏjakchip. (Book, 1979) (WorldCat.org)". Worldcat.org. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ "Kim Il-sŏng chŏnjip. (Book, 1992) (WorldCat.org)". Worldcat.org. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- KCNA. 18 January 2012. Archived from the originalon 9 May 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ Ruediger Frank (22 October 2013). "The North Korean Tablet Computer Samjiyon: Hardware, Software and Resources — A 38 North Product Review by Ruediger Frank" (PDF). 38 North. p. 15. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ISBN 978-9946-0-1111-0.
- ^ Korea Publications Exchange Association catalogue (PDF). Korea Publications Exchange Association. 2014. pp. 25–27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ISBN 978-1-317-56741-7. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
- ^ Glyn Ford; Soyoung Kwon (2008). North Korea on the Brink: Struggle for Survival. London / Ann Arbor: Pluto Press. p. 53.
- ^ a b Jae-young Kim (12 October 2012). "The Surprising Truth About Propaganda Texts: They're Actually Fun To Read". NK News. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-317-56741-7. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4299-0699-9. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ a b Jang 2014, p. 6.
- ^ Silberstein, Benjamin (10 May 2016). "Warfare by Feelings: Strategy, Spontaneity, and Emotions in Kim Il-sung's Tactical Thinking". Sino-NK. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "S. Korea Seizes Copies of Book by Kim Il Sung". Los Angeles Times. AP. 8 August 1994. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ "South Korean publisher releases memoirs of North's founder". Korea JoongAng Daily. 22 April 2021.
- ^ "South Korea probes how North Korea founder's memoir got published". Kyodo News. 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Opinions clashing in South Korea on how to handle 'pro-North' publications". The Korea Times. 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Bookstore chain pulls memoirs of N.K. founder over controversy". Yonhap. 25 April 2021.
- ^ "Court dismisses civic groups' request to ban North Korea founder's memoirs". Yonhap. 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Police Raid S. Korean Publisher in Probe on Kim Il-sung Memoir". KBS World. 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Probe into publication of late N. Korea founder's memoir". Yonhap. 26 May 2021.
- ^ Shim, Elizabeth (26 May 2021). "South Korea police raid office, residence of Kim Il Sung memoir publisher". UPI.
- OCLC 28377167. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ Fyodor Tertitskiy (11 August 2014). "North Korean History through the Lens of Soviet Power- Daily NK". Daily NK. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-8093-9. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ Jang 2014, p. 5.
- ISBN 978-1-118-15377-2.
Sources
- ISBN 978-1-4767-6657-7.
External links
- Full text of With the Century at Publications of the DPRK
- Audiovisual excerpts at Voice of Korea
- Audiovisual excerpts on DPRK Today's channel on YouTube(in Korean)
- Thematical quotations in Principles of Life. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. 2018.
- Indexes at the Marxists Internet Archive