If you just landed in Pyongyang and glanced at a local newspaper, you might get a bit of a shock. You’d probably expect to see the year 2026. But for a long time, if you looked at the top of the Rodong Sinmun—the state’s main newspaper—you wouldn’t have found that number. You would have seen Juche 115.
Honestly, the whole "what year is it in North Korea" thing is one of those facts that sounds like a glitch in the matrix. It’s not that they don't know it's 2026. They definitely do. But for nearly three decades, the country operated on a completely different timeline centered around one man: Kim Il Sung.
Lately, though, things have taken a weird turn.
The Math Behind the Juche Calendar
Basically, the Juche calendar starts its clock in 1912.
Why 1912? Because that’s the year Kim Il Sung, the "Eternal President" and founder of the nation, was born. In this system, 1912 isn't 1912—it’s Juche 1.
If you want to figure out the year in North Korea (at least how it's been recorded officially since 1997), you just take the current year and subtract 1911.
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$2026 - 1911 = 115$
So, technically, we are currently in Juche 115.
It’s worth noting there is no "Before Juche" or "B.J." equivalent. If a North Korean historian is talking about the 1800s, they just use the regular Gregorian calendar dates we use. The Juche era only counts forward from the birth of the founder. It’s a literal "New Era" in their eyes.
Why North Korea Just Changed Everything (Again)
Here’s the kicker: as of late 2024, North Korea started scrubbing the Juche calendar from its official media.
Wait, what?
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Yeah, it’s a massive shift. For 27 years, every official document, birth certificate, and news report had to lead with the Juche year. But starting around October 2024, the state media suddenly stopped using it. The 2025 and 2026 calendars released in Pyongyang have largely ditched the "Juche" numbering in favor of the standard 2025 and 2026 labels.
Observers and experts, like those at NK News or Koryo Tours, think this is a huge deal. It’s not just a clerical change. It’s a political statement. By phasing out the calendar tied to his grandfather, Kim Jong Un is basically saying the "Grandfather Era" is over and the "Kim Jong Un Era" is the only thing that matters now.
He’s stepping out of the shadow.
Quick Comparison of Eras
- Gregorian (Global): Counts from the birth of Christ.
- Juche (North Korea): Counts from the birth of Kim Il Sung (1912).
- Minguo (Taiwan): Coincidentally also starts in 1912, marking the founding of the Republic of China.
Living Between Two Worlds
Even when the Juche calendar was at its peak, North Koreans weren't living in a total vacuum. They still used the Gregorian calendar for international trade, aviation, and diplomacy. You can’t exactly tell a flight controller in China that you’re landing in the year 115 and expect things to go smoothly.
Most people in the country are used to seeing both. On a typical wall calendar in a Pyongyang apartment, you’d often see the Juche year in big red numbers and the Gregorian year in smaller text underneath.
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They also juggle three different "New Years":
- January 1st: The standard global New Year.
- Lunar New Year (Seollal): The traditional Korean holiday.
- Juche New Year: April 15th, which is Kim Il Sung’s birthday (also known as the Day of the Sun).
April 15th is the big one. It’s the holiday where everyone gets extra rations, students get new uniforms, and there are massive parades. It’s the anchor of their entire social structure.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think North Korea is the only place doing this. It’s not.
Thailand uses the Buddhist Era (it's currently 2569 there). Ethiopia is about seven years "behind" the rest of us. Iran and Afghanistan use the Solar Hijri calendar. North Korea’s system feels more jarring because it’s tied to a specific political leader rather than a religion or ancient tradition, but the concept of "local time" is more common than you’d think.
Another misconception is that the Juche calendar has been around forever. Actually, it was only introduced in 1997. That was three years after Kim Il Sung died. His son, Kim Jong Il, implemented it to "immortalize" his father's legacy during a time of extreme famine and hardship known as the Arduous March. It was a tool for national unity when things were falling apart.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re tracking North Korean news or even planning a (currently difficult) trip there in the future, keep these things in mind:
- Check the Source Date: If you are reading an official DPRK document from 2020, it will say Juche 109. Don't let it confuse your timeline.
- Watch for the Shift: Keep an eye on the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). If they continue to omit the Juche year throughout 2026, it confirms that Kim Jong Un has officially "retired" his grandfather's calendar in favor of a more standard—or perhaps a new, more personal—system.
- Convert Simply: If you ever see a Juche year and need the "real" date, just add 1911.
- Understand the "Day of the Sun": Even if the Juche year is being phased out, April 15th remains the most important date on their calendar. It’s the center of gravity for the regime's ideology.
The removal of the Juche calendar is a rare glimpse into the internal power dynamics of a country that usually keeps its secrets locked tight. It tells us that even in a place that treats its founders like gods, time eventually moves on.