English Literature in North Korea; A Historical Survey

English Literature in North Korea; A Historical Survey

This paper offers a critical overview of English Literature in North Korea and its reception among general and professional readerships. As the first attempt of its kind, it combines a broad review with detailed analysis in describing historical changes in official attitudes held towards foreign literature in North Korea. Particular attention is paid to two book-length studies of foreign literature, one published in the late 1950s (A Survey of Western European Literature), and the other written and published in the mid-1990s (Juche's Literary View and Foreign Literature). Each text reveals the influence of the Soviet Union and the desire to construct an indigenous literary theory and perspective.