Symbols are a key mechanism for worshiping and idolizing political power. North Korea has built sculptures across the country to idolize the so-called Baekdu Lineage. After liberation, the North Korean authorities, who had been promoting the idolization of Kim Il Sung, gradually expanded the scope of idolization to include families of the “Baekdu Lineage.” The North Korean authorities did not allow for any errors in the construction of the “Baekdu Lineage” statues and placed them in the best possible location. In addition, through a strict protection system and management of these symbols, they have instilled a sense of worship among North Koreans. The North Korean practice of visiting and worshiping the “Baekdu Lineage” statues constitutes a political ritual. The physical gestures of paying homage to the statues are accompanied by analogous collective practices. The giant statue overwhelms human psychology, and its passive attitude and rigid facial expressions indicate a relationship of dominance and subordination. Moreover, individuals are not permitted to deviate from collective behavior. North Korean authorities emphasize to residents the importance of caring for and protecting the “Baekdu Lineage” statues. From childhood, North Koreans are taught, through education and practice, how to treat symbols such as the “Artwork No. 1” and statues that symbolize the “Baekdu Lineage.” In the process of worshiping the “Baekdu Lineage,” they undergo a stage of “internalization,” which becomes solidified into political and cultural customs. After all, worship of the “Baekdu Lineage” statues is an important means of maintaining the North Korean regime.
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