You’ve seen the photos of the massive bronze statues in Pyongyang. You’ve heard the stories of underground churches and the complete absence of religious freedom. But if you think North Korea is just a "godless" vacuum where everyone is a blank slate, you’re missing the weirdest, most complex part of the story. Honestly, the main religion in North Korea isn't what shows up on a standard demographic chart. It’s not Buddhism, though that’s there. It’s not Christianity, though that has a wild history in the region.
It's complicated.
Technically, the state is atheist. On paper, the constitution says you have "freedom of religious belief." In reality, that "freedom" is conditioned on it not being used to bring in foreign interference or harm the state. If you ask a defector or a researcher like Andrei Lankov, they’ll tell you that the closest thing to a "main religion" is actually a mix of state ideology, deep-seated Korean shamanism, and a very specific homegrown faith called Chondoism.
Why Juche is the real main religion in North Korea
Let's be real. If you define religion as a system of belief that involves a creator, a set of moral codes, and a ritualistic devotion to a higher power, then Juche fits the bill perfectly. Juche, or "self-reliance," is the official state ideology. It was developed by Kim Il-sung and later refined by his son, Kim Jong-il.
It's everywhere.
It isn't just a political philosophy you study in a textbook. It’s the air people breathe. People wear pins of the Leaders over their hearts. They bow to massive statues. They attribute "miraculous" feats to the ruling family. In many ways, the Kim dynasty has replaced the traditional pantheon of gods.
When people talk about the main religion in North Korea, they often overlook how Juche borrows the "vibe" of religion. You have the "Eternal President" (Kim Il-sung), who is technically still the head of state despite being dead since 1994. You have sacred sites, like Mount Paektu, which is treated with a reverence that borders on the mystical. It’s a secular religion. It’s totalizing. It’s the lens through which every North Korean is taught to view the universe.
The rise of Chondoism
While Juche dominates the mental space, there is a "real" religion that the state actually tolerates and even promotes to a degree: Chondoism. This is a 20th-century Korean religious movement based on the 19th-century Donghak movement.
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It’s fascinating because it’s uniquely Korean.
Chondoism translates to "Religion of the Heavenly Way." It combines elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and even a bit of Christian organizational structure. The government likes it because it’s nationalist. It didn't come from the West. It didn't come from China. It’s "ours." Because of this, there is actually a Chondoist Chongu Party in North Korea. It’s a minor party that basically does whatever the ruling Workers' Party says, but its existence is a nod to the fact that Chondoism is technically the most "official" traditional main religion in North Korea.
The core tenet is Innaechon—the idea that "man is heaven." It suggests that the divine is found within people, not some distant deity. You can see why the state found this useful; if man is heaven, and the Leader is the ultimate man, then the Leader is essentially divine.
What happened to Buddhism and Christianity?
Before the country was split at the 38th parallel, Pyongyang was actually known as the "Jerusalem of the East." No joke. It was a massive missionary hub. There were hundreds of churches.
Then came the 1940s and 50s.
Kim Il-sung saw Christianity as a tool of Western imperialism—specifically American imperialism. He wiped it out. Or, he tried to. Today, there are a few "show" churches in Pyongyang: one Catholic (though without a priest recognized by Rome), two Protestant, and one Russian Orthodox. Most human rights observers, like those from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, argue these are purely for foreign visitors to see and say, "Look, we have freedom!"
Buddhism fared slightly better, but only because it’s seen as a "cultural heritage" rather than an active faith. There are temples. There are monks. But these monks are often government employees. They perform rituals for tourists or on specific holidays, but you won't find a vibrant, grassroots Sangha (community) practicing mindfulness in the mountains.
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The Shamanism no one talks about
Here is a secret: North Koreans are incredibly superstitious.
Even with the heavy hand of Juche, traditional Korean shamanism (Musok) persists underground. When the state-run economy collapsed in the 1990s during the "Arduous March" famine, people stopped trusting the state for everything. They turned to fortune tellers.
Defectors often share stories about people secretly visiting mudang (shamans) to find out if a business deal will go well or if a relative in the army is safe. It’s risky. It can get you sent to a labor camp. But when life is that uncertain, people crave a connection to the supernatural. It’s the "unofficial" main religion in North Korea for people just trying to survive the day.
The infrastructure of belief
Religion in the North isn't about private prayer; it's about public performance.
- Weekly sessions: Every citizen belongs to a "neighborhood unit" (inminban) or a workplace study group. They spend hours studying the "Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System."
- Sacred Portraits: Every home must have portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. They must be kept clean. Dusting them is a ritual. If a fire breaks out, you are expected to save the portraits before your furniture.
- Holidays: Christmas isn't a thing. Instead, you celebrate the "Day of the Sun" (Kim Il-sung's birthday) or the "Day of the Shining Star" (Kim Jong-il's birthday).
It's a complete inversion of traditional religious life.
The complexity of "Persecution"
When we talk about the main religion in North Korea, we have to address the elephant in the room: the "Open Doors" World Watch List. For years, North Korea has been ranked as the most dangerous place in the world for Christians.
The state views any competing loyalty as a threat. If you believe in a God who is higher than the Kim family, you are, by definition, a political criminal. It’s not just about "heresy" in the religious sense; it’s about "treason" in the political sense. This is why the few remaining Christians practice in extreme secrecy, often not even telling their own children about their faith until the children are old enough to keep a secret. One slip-up at school could end the whole family in a political prison camp (kwanliso).
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Moving past the "Atheist" label
Labeling North Korea as "atheist" is kinda lazy.
Pure atheism is the absence of belief in the supernatural. North Korea is full of the supernatural—it’s just been nationalized. The state has hijacked the human impulse to worship. They’ve taken the structures of the Presbyterian church (which Kim Il-sung’s mother actually attended) and mapped them onto a political cult.
Think about it.
- Hymns: They have songs praising the leaders.
- Scripture: They have the collected works of the Kims.
- Sin: Disloyalty to the state.
- Salvation: The prosperity of the Korean revolution.
What you can actually do with this info
If you're researching the main religion in North Korea for school, work, or just because you’re a bit of a history nerd, here are the actual takeaways you need to remember.
First, stop looking for "churches" and start looking at "monuments." The religious energy of the country is poured into the state. Second, realize that Chondoism is the only traditional faith with any "official" pulse, even if it’s a puppet of the government. Third, understand that the underground is real, but it’s not just Christians; it’s shamans and fortune tellers keeping ancient Korean traditions alive in the shadows.
Your next steps for deeper understanding:
- Read "Nothing to Envy" by Barbara Demick. It’s honestly the best book for understanding the daily lives and "faith" of ordinary North Koreans.
- Check out the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB). They have specific reports on religious freedom that use real testimony from defectors to map out where religious activity is actually happening.
- Differentiate between "State Juche" and "Traditional Folk Beliefs." When writing or talking about this, make sure you don't lump them together. One is forced from the top down; the other is a desperate survival tactic from the bottom up.
- Look into the Chondoist Chongu Party. If you want to see how the state "manages" religion, looking at this political party's weird history is a great rabbit hole.
North Korea isn't a place without religion. It’s a place where the state became the religion. Understanding that shift is the only way to truly understand the country.