Constructing the Socialist Way of Life: North Korea's Housing and Urban Planning

(Paperback)

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What Architectural Drawings Reveal about North Korea

Housing and urban planning constitute a key element of the material foundation of North Korea. In the post-war era, the country attempted to socialize all types of living spaces based on political ideology, from small apartment rooms to urban set- tings. The idea that North Koreas political forces are brainwashing their people is, as the testimonies of many defectors reveal, superficial.

Exploring domestic culture and daily life, this book aims to capture the actual lives of North Koreans, who have largely supported the unique political system of the country. To this end, it uses drawings, maps, and diagrams obtained from various archives. While these are neutral forms of communication, they also convey the actual intentions of North Korean architects and planners hidden behind the claims of political leaders.

Author Bio

Inha Jung is teaching architectural history and theory at Hanyang University (ERICA Campus). He graduated from Seoul National University in 1987, and acquired his Ph.D. at the University of Paris I (Panthon-Sorbonne), France in 1993. After joining the Hanyang faculty in 1995, he focused his research on Korean modern architecture. Based on the investigation of archival documents, he tried to clarify Korean architects role and contribution in the modernization of Korean society.