On My Way To Korea

All of these posters came directly from a relative of mine who served in Korea right at the end of the Korean War.  These pamphlets have potentially never been seen by anyone as I haven’t seen them anywhere online.  Enjoy!

Pages in this series

North Korean

1. Women
2. Children
3. Anti-USA 1
4. Anti-USA 2
5. Army
6. Juche and Seon-gun
7. Great Leader
8. Other 1
9. Other 2
10. Anti-USA 3
11. Great Leader 2
12. Juche and Seon-gun 2
13. Other 3
14. Other 4
15. Other 5
16. Other 6
17. Other 7
    

South Korean

1. Extreme
2. Other 1
3. Other 2
4. Original

Here’s the last set of South Korean posters:

Front (leaflet 1)

Right: You can’t say anything anywhere
음 어디 말한마디 할 수 있나 …
Left: or move a muscle under the Communist party
공산당 밑에서는 꼼짝도 할수 없어!

Back (leaflet 1)

Free Korea is calling! (자유대한은 부른다!)
To the people’s army and soldiers! (인민군 전사 여러분!)
Do you have freedom to act how you want  under communism?
그대들은 공산주의 사회에서 행동의 자유가 있었던가?
Do you have the freedom to say want you want?
그대들은 말 한마디 자유로 할수 있었던가?
Isn’t your freedom being restricted by those dreadful monitoring eyes?
그 무시무시한 감시의 눈초리는 그대들의 자유를 구속하고 있지 않은가?
Free Korea is calling! (자유 천지 대한은 부른다.)
You, who are the same Korean people, are being called to come to Korea’s haven, which is overflowing with brotherly love.
같은 배달 민족인 그대을이 동족애가 넘치는 대한의 품으로 들어오기를 외친다.

Language Note: 배달 is said to be the earliest name for Korea

My relative actually gave me the pamphlet below since he had two, so I have the original in my possession

Front (leaflet 2)

Happy comrade of the 50th regiment of the People’s Army’s 15th division
who safely came over to the UN Army!
유엔군 쪽으로 무사히 넘어와 기뻐하는 인민군 제15사단연대 옛동지!

Back (leaflet 2)

Top: My loved People Army’s 15th division Comrades,
친애하는 인민군 15師 동지들이여
Body: What are you sacrificing your precious lives for?
당신은 무엇때문에 귀중한 생명을 희생시키고 있는가
Your death is pointless (당신의 죽엄은 개죽엄입니다)
If by chance you die, what will happen to your family?
만약 당신이 죽으면 당신의 가족은 얻덯게 될 것입니까
You are being deceived by your leaders
당신은 당신네들의 정치지도원에게 속고 있는 것입니다
Why have you still not realized?
당신네들은 왜 아직도 깨닺지 못 하고 있읍니까?
Quickly come over to the UN Army
하로 속히 유엔군 쪽으로 넘어오시요
Smart comrades, many are coming over
똑똑한 동지들은 많이 이 쪽으로 넘어왔읍니다
I recently left my unit and surrendered to the UN Army
나는 최근에 나의 부대를 탈 출하고 유엔군에 항복하였읍니다
I’m being treated well and living a comfortable life
지금 나는 매우 좋은 대우를 방으며 안락한 생활을 하고 있읍니다
The UN has already guaranteed my life and my future
유엔군측은 벌서 나의 생명과 장래를 보장하였읍니다.
My loved comrades (x2)
친애하는 동지들이여 (x2)
Throw away your weapons and quickly come over to the UN Army
당신들의 무기를 버리고 될수록 속히 유엔군측으로 넘어오시요
Bottom: People’s Army, 3rd Corps, 50th Regiment
인민군 3군단 공사 50연 대 / 人民軍 三軍團 公師 50 연대
[Signed] Yoon Sang-oh (윤상오)

Language Notes: 1. 였읍니다 instead of 였습니다.
2. Notice the extreme lack of punctuation?
3. Differently spelled words: 죽엄 (죽음), 얻덯게 (어떻게), 깨닺다 (깨닫다)

For the newsletter below, I will simply include the titles and exclude the content for now.  Maybe I’ll do individual posts later on to translate the articles, but I really just don’t want to do it all right now.

Front (Newsletter)

Headers: August 23, 1952 (1952년 8월 23일)
No. 78th (제78호)
Weekly News: Free World (주간신보 자유세계)
UN General Headquarters (유엔군 총사령부)
Articles: I Chose Freedom (나는 자유를 선택했다), an editorial (사설)
Truce talks (휴전회담), Communists insincerely take part in talks and recess
공산측 무성의로 본회담 또 휴회
War News (전쟁뉴쓰)
Russia refuses proposal for a meeting regarding disarmament
군축 회의 제안을 노서아가 일축

Language Notes: 뉴쓰 (뉴스), 노서아 (러시아)

Back (Newsletter)

Top: Side 2 (제2면)
Magnificent performance in west Seoul for Liberation day, President Chwui Im-Shik
행방일을 마지하야 수도 서울서 성대히 거행, 대통령 최임식
Red China becoming rich land owners? (땅부자가된 중공?)
Korean delagates declare not-too-distant unification assurances
불원 한국 통일확신 임 한국 대표 언명
“Jet” Passenger Airline appears in England (제트 여 객기 영국에 등장)
Did you know that…? (아는가. 모르는가?)
England soldiers arrive at the Korean front lines (영국 교대병들 한국 전선에 도착)

That ends the Korean propaganda series, thanks for reading!

Most of the posters in the South Korean series come from here.

Pages in this series

North Korean

1. Women
2. Children
3. Anti-USA 1
4. Anti-USA 2
5. Army
6. Juche and Seon-gun
7. Great Leader
8. Other 1
9. Other 2
10. Anti-USA 3
11. Great Leader 2
12. Juche and Seon-gun 2
13. Other 3
14. Other 4
15. Other 5
16. Other 6
17. Other 7
    

South Korean

1. Extreme
2. Other 1
3. Other 2
   
4. Original

Here’s the third set of South Korean posters:

Top: Since the Chinese Red Army entered, there’s no day without misfortune!
중공군이 들어서 액운 떠날 날이 없다!
Top Arrow: They obliterate our clean homes…
말짱한집을 날려버리고…
Next: We raise food to eat and still starve to death…
먹을 양식해 놓고도 굶어죽는 빛이오…
Departing Cart: Government quota (공출)
Next: Everyone will collapse under forced labor…
강제노역 등 쌀에 남녀노 소없이 쓰러지고…
Bag: Toil (노역)
Next: Bad infections will enter from Manchuria and all the villagers will be massacred…
못된 전염병이 만주서 들어와 온 동네가 몰살을 당하고…
Next: ??
이게대체 웬노릇인가? 두말할것없이 김일성이가 중공군을 모셔드려 잇속없는 전쟁을 자꾸 쩔기때문이다.
Bottom: Help the anticommunist forces fight with the Chinese Red Army!
중공군과 싸우는 반공유격대를 도우라!

Right: North Korean farmers, hide your rice! (북한 농민들이여 쌀을 감추라!)
Left: Don’t starve because of the communist party! (공산당 때문에 굶지말라!)

Top: Communist tyranny makes the North Korean people go deaf.
공산학정은 북한인민을 귀먹어리로 만든다
Left: The sounds of freedom (자유의 소리)
L. Under: Truth (진리), Fact (사실), Sincerity (성의), Good will (호의)
Right: Communism’s propaganda  (공산주의 선전)
R. Under: Hypocrisy (위선), propaganda (선전), fiction (허위), hatred (증오)

Left: Communists endeavor to split up Korea.
공산주의자들은 한국을 분할하려고 애쓰고 있다.
L. Arrow: Communist Army (공산군)
Right: The UN strives for Korea’s reunification.
유엔은 한국의 통일에 노력하고 있다.
R. Arrow: UN Army (유엔군)

Right: Communist China’s so-called “help”? (소위 중공의 “원조”란이것인가?)
Right Man: What, don’t have rice? Shut up and go prepare a meal!
뭐 쌀이없어? 잡소리말고어서 밥지어
Middle-Right Man: Go get chicken dishes! (닭잡아볶아!)
Middle-Left Man: Go get pork dishes (돼지도 잡아라)
Left Man: Go get blankets for tonight! (오늘밤 덮고 잘이 불마련해라!)

Finally, I’ll show you some first-hand posters from my relative which I have never seen anywhere else.

This is a small project following the North Korean propaganda series showcasing some South Korean propaganda.  I have to admit, I’ve done a really bad job in linking back where I got many of the images from the North Korean series.  In the future I’d like to go back and see if I can track down the original sources.  Most of the posters in the South Korean series come from here.

Pages in this series

North Korean

1. Women
2. Children
3. Anti-USA 1
4. Anti-USA 2
5. Army
6. Juche and Seon-gun
7. Great Leader
8. Other 1
9. Other 2
10. Anti-USA 3
11. Great Leader 2
12. Juche and Seon-gun 2
13. Other 3
14. Other 4
15. Other 5
16. Other 6
17. Other 7
    

South Korean

1. Extreme
2. Other 1
3. Other 2
4. Original

Here’s the first set of posters which are the more extreme examples:

Why do I have to follow the path of death in this attack?
이번 공격에 나는 왜 죽엄의 길을 가야 하나?
Language Note: 죽엄  is used which I assume is death.  It might be a misspelling, a certain dialect, or maybe shows a change in the Korean language over time.

The communist party, squeezing out the sweat and blood of the farmers!
농민의 고혈을 짜는 공산당!

Left: “We long for peace.” (우리들은 평화를 갈망합니다.)
Phony Kim Il-Sung: “But the communist party must wage war to grasp power over Korea”
가짜 김일성: “그러나. 공산당은 한국에서 권세를 잡기 위해서 전쟁을 하여야 한다.”
Right: Phony Kim Il-Sung: “Oh!  Where did my face go?”
가짜김일성: “아! 내 상판이 어디루 갔나?”

Middle: The people’s freedom (국민의 자유)
Bottom: The evil hand of communism takes away freedom (자유를 빼앗는 공산주의마수)

Hands:
(These are probably names of famous land owners)
한우교, 이동우, 김동방, 맹춘식, 김지수, 김광, 송봉욱
Right:
Don’t accept these people’s ?examples?!    Help the poor people!
이자들의 본을 받지 말라! 불상한 백성들을 도우라!

Comrades of the People’s Army!  North Korea, who is the puppet of Kim Il-Sung, was sold out to the Chinese Communist Army!
인민군 동지들이여! 괴뢰 김일성이는 북한을 중공군에게 팔아 먹었다!

Top:
The North Korean people are being deceived! (북한인민은 이렇게 뜯기기만한다!)
Wolves:
Taxes (무슨 세금), Land taxes (지방유지세), Fees (무슨 회비), ?? (현불세), income taxes (소득세)
Bag: Income (수입)

Left: You are being cheated and falling into their hands! (당신들은 속아넙어가고 있소)
Above idol: Communism (공산주의)
Below idol: North Korea (북한), People (인민)
Name on shirt: Kim Il-Sung (김일성)

Left: North Korean communist soldiers are being coerced and pushed for Russia’s war
북한공산 군병사들은 로서아를 위한 전쟁에 강제로 끌려 나아가다
People left to right:
Russian imperialism (로서아 제국주의), Chinese communism management (중공관리),
North Korean Red Army officers (북한공산군장교), North Korean Red Army soldiers (북한공산군병사)
Right:
Communist aggressive war (공산침략전)
Language Note: It appears Russia used to be referred to as 로서아

People left to right: Mao Zedong (모택동), Stalin (스탈린 ), Kim Il-Sung (김일성)
Right: The landowner, the servant, and the cow (지주와 그하인과 소)

Top: The communist party’s three rules for the people
공산당이 인민에게 요구하는 三(삼)대조건
Left to right: (Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil)
Don’t listen to true words (참말은 듣지 말라)
Don’t look at true things (참것은 보지 말라)
Don’t speak true words (참말은 하지 말라)

Next we’ll be looking at some less extreme posters after which I’ll show you some never-before seen posters (online at least) provided to me by one of my relatives who actually went to Korea and kept some propaganda.

This is last post in the North Korean propaganda series.  For more information regarding the series or the North Korean dialect, please refer back to the first page, featuring women.

Pages in this series

North Korean

1. Women
2. Children
3. Anti-USA 1
4. Anti-USA 2
5. Army
6. Juche and Seon-gun
7. Great Leader
8. Other 1
9. Other 2
10. Anti-USA 3
11. Great Leader 2
12. Juche and Seon-gun 2
13. Other 3
14. Other 4
15. Other 5
16. Other 6
17. Other 7
    

South Korean

1. Extreme
2. Other 1
3. Other 2
4. Original

Here’s the last set of posters:

Worship the Great Leader, General Kim Il-Sung, highly like the eternal sun
위대한 수령 김일성대원수님을 영원한 해님으로 높이 모시렵니다

Flag: Revolutionary military spirit (혁명적 군인정신)
Middle: Let’s ride the Seon-gun revolution’s stallion
선군혁명의 준마를 타고
and  run run like the wind!
질풍같이달리자!

Let’s thoroughly arm ourselves through
위대한 수령 김일성 동지의
the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il-Sung ’s revolutionary ideology!
혁명사상으로 더욱 철저히 무장하자!

Father General is our eternal sun
아버지 대원수님은 영원한 우리의 해님

Let’s become ?bombs? that guard the Great Leader Kim Jung-Il with a do-or-die spirit!
경애하는 김정일 장군님을 결사옹위하는 총폭탄이 되자!
(Guard the Leader) 수령옹위

That’s it!  I hope you enjoyed this little series.  I will also be going through a few South Korean propaganda pieces, but there’s not nearly as many since they are all from the Korean War.  If you find any other interesting posters, feel free to point them out and I’ll post follow ups with translations.

This is a continuation of the North Korean propaganda series.  For more information regarding the series or the North Korean dialect, please refer back to the first page, featuring women.

Pages in this series

North Korean

1. Women
2. Children
3. Anti-USA 1
4. Anti-USA 2
5. Army
6. Juche and Seon-gun
7. Great Leader
8. Other 1
9. Other 2
10. Anti-USA 3
11. Great Leader 2
12. Juche and Seon-gun 2
13. Other 3
14. Other 4
15. Other 5
16. Other 6
17. Other 7
    

South Korean

1. Extreme
2. Other 1
3. Other 2
4. Original

Here’s the sixth set of assorted posters:

Top: The Juche ideology lights the whole world
주체사상은 온 누리에 빛난다
Middle: Juche (주체)
The 21st century is the Kim Jung-Il century (21세기는 김정일세기)
Newspaper titles: Youth News (소년신문)
New Day (새날)
Book Titles: Kim Il-Sung (김얼성 / 金日成)
Kim Jung-Il (김정일 / 金正日)

Take revenge a million times over on the American imperialist wolves!
승냥이 미제를 천백배로 복수하자!

Ideology, technology, and culture according to the demands of Juche!
사상도 기술도 문화도 주체의 요구대로!

Little Flags: Great march of stallions (천리마대진군)
Strong, great country (강성대국)
Defend with a do-or-die spirit (결사오위)
United as one heart, one mind (일심단결)
Bottom: Hurray for Korean Workers’ Party who always wins by talk or battle!
백전백승 조선로동당 만세!

Notice how south isn’t capitalized?

Next we’ll be looking at the last set of North Korean propaganda posters!