| Title |
North Korean Architectural Technocrat Kim Eung-sang, 1916-2003 |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2024.40.11.143 |
| Keywords |
North Korea; Architecture; Construction; Technocrat; Elite |
| Abstract |
This study explores the lifelong activities of North Korean architectural technocrat Kim Eung-sang and the political context that facilitated his
career. His impressive tenure was attributed not only to his architectural knowledge and experience but also to his loyalty and close ties with
the North Korean regime. Graduating from the Department of Architecture at Nihon University Higher Technical School during the Japanese
colonial period, Kim formed relationships with colonial Korean intellectuals in Japan, which presumably influenced his early career in North
Korea. Following Korea’s liberation in 1945, he quickly emerged as a key architectural elite. Despite the purging of many foreign-educated
elites during the August faction incident in 1956, Kim solidified his position as the leading technocrat in the architectural field. Throughout
his career, he oversaw numerous significant construction projects and held prominent roles, including chairman of the National Construction
Committee and representative of the Supreme People's Assembly. Even after retirement, Kim used his memoirs to align his activities with the
legitimacy of the Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il regimes. This study of Kim Eung-sang is significant as it not only highlights his
contributions but also sheds light on North Korea's architectural technocrats, who have been largely overlooked. |