**Kimilsungism: A North Korean "Religion" Built on Christian Foundations**

A new analysis reveals the state ideology of North Korea, Kimilsungism, was deliberately constructed using Christian methods and symbolism. Jonathan Cheng, in his research, traces this to the early days of the Kim dynasty. Founder Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il systematically repurposed Christian structures to build a political religion worshipping the ruling family. The evidence is in the tactics. The regime created a "holy trinity" of leaders, a state-sponsored "bible" of Kim's writings, and weekly ritualized study sessions mimicking church services. Songs of praise, unquestioning faith in the leader, and even the architecture of monumental buildings follow religious patterns. This was a strategic replacement. In the 1940s, Christianity was a major social force in what is now North Korea. The Kim family, Cheng argues, did not just suppress this faith. They copied its format to redirect the population's devotion toward the state and its leaders. The result is Kimilsungism: a full system of belief demanding absolute loyalty, with the Kim family at its center. It functions as a national religion, using familiar spiritual tools to secure unchallenged political power.