The cult of personality and ideology of North Korea’s Kim family are, astonishingly, deeply influenced by the structures of Christian faith.

The perspective comes from a new book recommended by The Economist, *Korean Messiah*.
The author says that Pyongyang, where Kim Il-sung lived, was once called the Eastern Jerusalem and had strong Christian overtones; his parents were devout Presbyterian believers.
From a young age, he was exposed to churches, hymns, and religious rituals, and he witnessed how faith could mobilize the masses, create awe, and foster loyalty.
After taking power, Kim Il-sung transformed this religious form into a political tool.
Although North Korea is officially atheistic, it shapes its leader into a messiah-like figure, turns the leader’s ideas into unquestionable truths, and constrains the entire population with principles similar to commandments.
Of course, Christianity then became a thorn in Kim Il-sung’s eyes, because it can also organize people, provide a target of faith, and make people loyal to spiritual authority outside the state.
So after Kim Il-sung came to power, he brutally suppressed Christians, killing large numbers of believers.