• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.14-30
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• 2013

Place names in North Korea has been regarded as an effective instrument of revolution since division of territory(1945) and as typical case which politcal ideology affected the place names. Especially in North Korea, self-reliance ideology(Juche Idea) and idolization of Kim Il Sung influenced the place names. With local administrative district reform in 1952, names of district and village were changed on national scale. National survey of place names were proceeded in 1964~1966 with direct support of Kim, Ilsung. After this survey, North Korea made alteration of place names in terms of idolization of Kim Il Sung family as well as socialist revolution. Encyclopedia of place names were widely published. Almost linguist were forced to produce writing and papers for the praise of the legitimacy of new place names. But it should be attended that research trend are slowly changed since 2000s. Research for idolization of Kim Il Sung has become a little importance.