Political systems
The role of Confucian traditions in strengthening the contemporary political regime of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
In Asian countries authoritarian relationships have been noticeable for centuries not only on political but also on social grounds.The teachings of Confucius were important in this aspect. According to many authors, they still exert a significant influence in North Korea and have an impact on the durability of Kim Jong-un. However, there are also opinions that it is a big mistake to describe this country as Confucian. For this reason the aim of this article is to show the real meaning of this ideology in North Korea. This will be done by demonstrating similarities of the present situation to the principles of Confucianism, as well as denials of the guidelines of this ideology. As a result, this will allow the author to analyze how Confucian traditions can determine the future of the regime in Pyongyang.