Up until now, the research of North Korean archaeological study mainly focused on the academic point of view; reconstructing cultural chronology, verifying the artifact types and reviewing the terms they used are the main points to study.
However it ...
Up until now, the research of North Korean archaeological study mainly focused on the academic point of view; reconstructing cultural chronology, verifying the artifact types and reviewing the terms they used are the main points to study.
However it is necessary to consider that the archaeological research affects directly by the social situation. The interpretation of archaeological data cannot be totally free from political and social circumstance. The internal factors are highly affected by the external factors, therefore, it is necessary that these external factors should be clarified.
The archaeology of North Korea is one of the best examples of the strong coherence between the academic and political sector. In order to understand North Korean archaeology, external factors such as the regime's structure, political upheaval and policy processes etc. are vital for reconstructing the history of North Korean Archaeology.
As a part of archaeological study, the Palaeolithic research in North Korea share the same matter, which means archaeology is overtly politicized. Since the study encompasses the subject of human evolution and origin of (modern) human behavior, the Palaeolithic studies are more incline to attach to the currently enforced political program.
Since the last two decades, the regime's slogans, which are 'Joseonminjogjeiljuui'(the supremacy of the Korean people) and 'Gangseongdaegug'(the nation's strength) are the main propagandas. In terms of 'Joseonminjogjeiljuui', Palaeolithic research is focused on the origin of the Korean race, and its culture. Applied theory is a modified version of a multi-regional approach; the origin of Koreans is hardly explained with the definitions of 'peopling' and 'migrating' from somewhere else. In the case of 'Gangseongdaegug', various scientific methods have been adopted to interpret the archaeological data, especially for the chronological study. Because motto 'Gangseongdaegug' highly emphasized the importance of scientific value for future nation's prosperity, it is not surprise to introduce and develop the scientific applications for Palaeolithic research.
After the 1980's, around 15 Palaeolithic sites have been researched; in total 129 articles of interest have been issued on the basis of these sites. This Palaeolithic data is a primary source for the archaeological research itself. At the same time, this set of information contributes to figure out the North Korea political structure as well.
keyword: North Korea, Palaeolithic, Joseonminjogjeiljuui, Gangseongdaegug