Yahoo Finance North Korea’s bizarre propaganda slogans
Mushrooms and patriotism don’t usually go hand in hand, but a mash-up of the two concepts is just one example of North Korea’s latest batch of propaganda slogans.
“Let us turn ours into a country of mushrooms by making mushroom cultivation scientific, intensive and industrialised!”
The 310 slogans have been released in honour of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the country’s founding and the Korean peninsula’s liberation from Japan, news.com.au reported.
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The slogans contain such gems as, “Grow vegetables extensively in greenhouses!” and, “Let this socialist country resound with Song of Big Fish Haul and be permeated with the fragrant smell of fish and other seafoods!”
According to Reuters, the inspirational quotes were drafted by the Worker’s Party of Korea and spanned two pages of the party’s newspaper, calling for improvements to industry and things like “more stylish school uniforms” for children.
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James Grayson, emeritus professor of modern Korean studies at Sheffield University, told the BBC that a lot of the slogans were based on practical things to do with the economy, particularly food.
"It's an indication of the absolutely dire state of the North Korean economy. You have this huge disparity between the select few living in the best parts of Pyongyang, who live very well - there are now examples of international businesses there, coffee shops and designer labels... - whereas other parts of the country are allowed to go to hell in a cart."
Grayson said the food-related slogans were likely a way of recognising and offering solutions to the famine and malnutrition the country has suffered in the recent past.
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There were also many slogans praising North Korea’s leaders, its military strength and a focus on turning the country into a Socialist “fairyland”.
Here are some of the more unusual slogans:
Let the strong wind of fish farming blow across the country!
More stylish school uniforms and quality school things for our dear children!
Let us fiercely raise the sports wind across the country!
Let the wives of officers become dependable assistants to their husbands!
Let us turn the whole country into a socialist fairyland by the joint operation of the army and people!
Make fruits cascade down and their sweet aroma fill the air on the sea of apple trees at the foot of Chol Pass!
