The ascendance of Kim Jong Il to the North Korean leadership was accompanied by the introduction of the “military first,” or songun, policy. The slogan implied that from then on, the life of society had to be subject to the interests of the army.
It was claimed that in conditions where international socialism had collapsed, the DPRK was left on its own, surrounded by enemies whose ultimate dream was to destroy the People’s Korea. The army, therefore, had to stay vigilant and be ready to fight the aggressors, with the full support of the nation.[/p
The ascendance of Kim Jong Il to the North Korean leadership was accompanied by the introduction of the “military first," or songun, policy. The slogan implied that from then on, the life of society had to be subject to the interests of the army.
It was claimed that in conditions where international socialism had collapsed, the DPRK was left on its own, surrounded by enemies whose ultimate dream was to destroy the People's Korea. The army, therefore, had to stay vigilant and be ready to fight the aggressors, with the full support of the nation.
Tatiana Gabroussenko obtained her PhD in East Asian Studies at the Australian National University. She is currently a professor of North Korean studies at Korea University, Seoul. Her latest book, "Soldiers on the Cultural Front: Developments in the Early History of North Korean Literature and Literary Policy," was included in the Choice magazine list of Outstanding Academic Titles of 2012.