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Credentialism in North Korean Society - Focusing on the teaching by supreme leader -

Academic ability is formal educational experience used to indicate individual ability. Credentialism means that academic background plays an important part in achieving status socially. Though it is a global phenomenon, it appears in different forms depending on the age, culture, environment and others. It can be seen even in North Korean society with a unique hereditary succession of three generation system and extreme closeness. The situation of North Korea is such a mystery, but credentialism in the country has been clearer recently. The educational policy with utilitarianism enforced since Kim Jong-il, who used to be the supreme leader of North Korea, came to power is assumed to influence on the phenomenon. Currently, North Korean education is operated according to the educational policy with utilitarianism, which shows a distinct difference from the country’s existing educational policy emphasizing on equity and literacy education for all the North Korean people. Educational policy with utilitarianism pursues educational excellence with an aim for improvement. Pursue of educational equity in North Korea claiming to stand for socialist states was an important matter directly linked to national identity. However, the reason for seeking educational excellence rather than educational equity is to overcome economic difficulties which is so serious that it is even threatening the continued existence of the country’s system and to solve urgent problems. In North Korean society, ‘origin’, an ascribed factor, greatly influences on achieving socialㆍeconomic status. Passive attitudes of members of the society due to this cause chronic inefficiency, and it leads to North Korea’s regression. Supreme leaders of North Korea tried to modify elite policies and reform the country’s educational system creating manpower human resources in critical situations. Then, credentialism appeared during Kim Jong-un’s succession to this attempt.