North Korea: the last remaining bastion of anti-revisionism

In communist discourse, revisionism is a self-proclaimed socialist policy that undermines the revolutionary essence of socialism. This article examines the meaning, purpose, and significance of North Korea’s anti-revisionism. Each successive leader has emphasised different aspects of anti-revisionism, in accordance with the changing circumstances. Kim Il Sung made no concessions to revisionism. He endorsed Juche, the monolithic ideological system, and Korean style socialism to oppose revisionism. Under Kim Jong Il’s leadership, economic cracks emerged in North Korea’s anti-revisionist edifice, though he promoted Songun politics to mitigate them. These economic cracks have widened under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, though he has promoted Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism to successfully maintain an anti-revisionist course. North Korea has upheld anti-revisionism to safeguard socialism and build communism. Anti-revisionism has played a central role in North Korea’s development, by determining the evolution of its ideology, socialist system, and foreign policy. Today, North Korea is the last remaining bastion of anti-revisionism.