Despite North Korean government crackdowns and controls, superstitious practices are flourishing among young people. Many youth are visiting fortune tellers to seek life direction and find psychological comfort through divination.
A source in South Pyongan province told Daily NK recently that “cases of people in their 20s and 30s visiting fortune tellers are increasing in Pyongsong and other cities and counties in South Pyongan province,” adding that “young people are using fortune telling not only to check their personal fate but also to decide on careers, marriage partners, and even business ventures.”
This lifestyle of relying on divination to make all decisions has become increasingly pronounced among young people in South Pyongan province recently. Word spread widely among youth that a fortune teller in his 30s in Pyongsong, was particularly accurate, leading to more residents seeking readings, with a significant portion being young people.
“Young people these days have an increasingly strong tendency to believe in superstitions and don’t hesitate to spend money on fortune telling,” the source said. “There are especially many young people who scrape together money to have their fate read to see if they have good fortune for wealth.”
According to the source, at the end of last month, a young person in his 20s from Pyongsong visited the fortune-teller for a reading before seriously entering into business.
At the time, the fortune-teller read the young man’s fortune and advised him that this year wouldn’t bring good luck, telling him to start his business next year instead. He also predicted that someone in the family had a serious illness and would die soon.
The young man returned home feeling uneasy about the unfavorable reading, but later, just as the fortune-teller had predicted, a family member fell seriously ill and died. When this news spread by word of mouth, the number of young people seeking out the fortune-teller increased dramatically, the source reported.
“There were already many young people who would seek out fortune tellers whenever word got out that someone was particularly accurate, but as rumors about the fortune-teller’s accuracy spread quickly, young people from throughout South Pyongan province have been flocking to his fortune telling house,” the source said.
However, since North Korean authorities strictly prohibit superstitious practices, the fortune-teller is being very careful to avoid crackdowns and only sees 4-5 people per day.
Legal penalties fail to deter practice
North Korea’s Criminal Law Article 291 (Superstitious Practice Crime) states that “those who engage in superstitious practices shall be subject to labor training punishment,” and “those who habitually engage in superstitious practices or cause serious consequences through superstitious practices shall be subject to labor reform punishment of up to 5 years. In serious cases, they shall be subject to labor reform punishment of 5 to 10 years.”
Additionally, North Korea’s Youth Education Guarantee Law enacted in 2021 specifically lists superstitious practices under Article 41 as “things youth should not do.”
Despite North Korean authorities strictly prohibiting superstitious practices by law and conducting crackdowns and punishments, young people still rely heavily on superstitions, according to the source.
“They even organize public criticism meetings for residents caught engaging in superstitious practices to create an atmosphere of fear, but fortune-telling activities are actually increasing,” the source said. “This tendency to seek direction through divination or find relief and comfort for their frustrations appears especially strong among young people with weak backgrounds who must forge their own futures.”
A young person in his 30s from Pyongsong revealed, “Most of the time when I visit fortune tellers, it’s when I have worries or am going through really difficult times mentally, and each time I receive comfort or my mind becomes calm. Perhaps because of this, getting fortune readings when facing difficulties or starting something new has somehow become a habit.”
He added, “It’s not just me – all my close friends around me are the same way. That’s why we tell each other about good fortune tellers or even go together. Getting a fortune reading doesn’t solve everything, but I think we visit fortune tellers because we want to find a better path and at least get some comfort.”
