Christmas in North Korea: A Silent Celebration Behind Paektu Bloodline
- Dec 25, 2024
- 2 min read
By: Erin Kim
Christmas is celebrated worldwide as a time of joy, reflection, and togetherness. In many countries, it is a public holiday filled with festivities and religious observances. However, in North Korea, Christmas is neither recognized nor celebrated openly. Instead, December 24th is marked as the birthday of Kim Jong-suk, the mother of Kim Jong-il and grandmother of Kim Jong-un. This day is a nationalistic holiday for honoring the Paektu Bloodline, overshadowing any possibility of celebrating Christmas.
The Paektu Bloodline is central to North Korea’s ideology, symbolizing revolutionary power and leadership. Kim Jong-suk, portrayed as a revolutionary hero, is celebrated extensively on her birthday. Official ceremonies, cultural performances, and school assemblies are organized to honour her contributions to the revolution and her role as the mother of Kim Jong-il. Even geographical regions have been renamed in her honor, such as the renaming of Sinpa County in Ryanggang Province to Kim Jong-suk County. Her revolutionary history has also been integrated into the educational curriculum, further solidifying her place in North Korean ideology.
The emphasis on Kim Jong-suk’s legacy highlights the suppression of religious traditions such as Christmas. North Korea’s government enforces an atheist ideology, viewing Christianity as a potential threat to the regime’s stability. While Christmas is a time for many around the world to celebrate in love and peace, North Koreans are instead required to participate in state-organized tributes to the Kim family. For most, December 24th in North Korea is not a time for family gatherings but rather a day filled with mandatory events and state-directed performances.
Despite these suppression, underground Christian communities in North Korea quietly celebrate Christmas in secret. These individuals hold small gatherings or engage in symbolic acts of worship, such as lighting candles or offering prayers. For them, Christmas remains a meaningful occasion, even if it must be celebrated in secrecy. However, the risks are significant; being caught practicing Christianity or engaging in religious activities can result in imprisonment, torture, or even harsher consequences.
The contrast between the public glorification of the Paektu Bloodline and the hidden, suppressed observance of Christmas reflects the reality of life in North Korea. Personal freedoms, including the freedom of belief, are dominated by the state’s ideology.
December 24th in North Korea reveals a contrast between public loyalty to the state and the quiet resilience of private faith. While some are compelled to honor the Paektu Bloodline, others quietly hold onto their beliefs, even in secrecy. These contrasts highlight the complexities of life in North Korea.
Works Cited
Open Doors Canada. (2018, December 17). Christmas in North Korea. Open Doors Canada. https://www.opendoorscanada.org/christmas-in-north-korea/
Tertitskiy, E. (2018, December 23). The cult of Kim Jong-suk: The story of a housewife turned divine figure. NK News. http://www.nknews.org/2018/12/the-cult-of-kim-jong-suk-the-story -of-a-housewife-turned-divine-figure/
Kim family (North Korea). (n.d.). In Wikipedia.
Jakhar, P. (2017, December 26). North Koreans mark ‘sacred’ mother’s birthday instead of Christmas. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-42479956
Johnson, G. (n.d.). Mount Paektu bloodline: The ruling Kim family of North Korea. Young Pioneer Tours. https://www.youngpioneertours.com/mount-paektu-bloodline/
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