"Is North Korea Religious? An Unexpected Aspect of a Secretive Society"

North Korea proudly proclaims that human beings do not need religion but instead should rely only on their fellow human beings. Yet observers have noted that the fervor with which North Koreans express their admiration for their ruling family bears a strong resemblance to religious fervor. I will explore the philosophy of Juche (the official ideology of North Korea), as well as the slogans, monuments, and rituals of the North Korean state and people, in order to answer the question: Is North Korea actually a religious state?