E263 - North Korea’s Roots in Christianity w/ Jonathan Cheng
About this episode
Danny and Derek discuss the Christian origins of North Korea’s founding ideology with Jonathan Cheng.
Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and all of our episodes. Danny and Derek speak with Jonathan Cheng, China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, about the Christian origins of North Korea’s founding ideology and the subsequent personality cult. The discussion explores missionary Samuel Moffat’s work in Pyongyang, the conversion of Kim Il-sung’s family to Christianity, Christian nationalism during Japanese colonial rule, the turn toward socialism, Kim’s postwar personality cult, and how Christianity informs the Kim family’s rule today. Be sure to grab a copy of Jonathan’s book Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Daniel Bessner, Derek Davison
Guest: Jonathan Cheng
Topics covered
- North Korea
- Christianity
- personality cult
- history
- politics
- colonialism
Keywords
- North Korea
- Christianity
- Kim Il-sung
- personality cult
- Samuel Moffat
- Japanese colonial rule
- socialism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Wall Street Journal
Books & works: Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult
Places: North Korea, Pyongyang, Japan
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