A Blatant Lie: The North Korean myth of Kim Il-sung liberating the country from Japan

This article deals with one of the central historical constructs of North Korean official historiography: the myth of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. North Korea claims that this army, led by the first ruler of North Korea Kim Il-sung, defeated the Imperial Japan. This claim is duly reflected in North Korean official publications and is taught to its citizens. The author examines origins, evolution and implications of this historical myth.