Shoppers and merchants in North Korea are hitting the markets in large numbers this week in celebration of the March 2 “Daeboreum” holiday marking the first full moon of the year, according to the lunar calendar.
South Koreans also celebrated with various events for the country’s Independence Movement Day on March 1, which honors the sacrifices of thousands of participants of the 1919 movement against Japanese rule, including symbolic leader Ryu Gwan Sun. However, sources have reported that North Korean residents are unaware of Ryu and the South Korean version of events.
Speaking from North Pyongan Province on March 1, one source said, “The markets are extremely packed today because it’s the first market day of spring. City people come seeking various livestock for breeding, and rural people bring young pigs, dogs, chickens, and goats for sale.”
“And with the Daeboreum holiday the next day, items known for their superstitious qualities like pig heads and black chickens are flying off the shelves,” he said. “With the difficult economic situation these days, many people are turning to spirits seeking good luck and fortune.”
The turn to superstition among North Koreans in hard times also indicates growing disillusionment with the Kim family cult of personality.
Residents are reportedly losing interest in the March 1st Movement, which is referred to as the “March 1 People’s Revolt” in North Korea, but not considered a holiday, a source in South Pyongan Province said.
“People are taught about 3.1 as part of Kim Il Sung’s efforts towards independence, but not many people care anymore,” she added, pointing to overriding individual concerns over working and making a living.
Kim Jong Un has attempted to co-opt the March 1st holiday, claiming in state propaganda that the movement started in Pyongyang rather than in South Korea and that the hero of the movement was Kim Il Sung’s father Kim Hyong Jik rather than Ryu Gwan Sun. North Korea also claims that Kim Il Sung, at age 7, cried out for Korean independence and took part in the movement at the time.
