Following the invasion of the Soviet Army in Bulgaria, in September 1944 the Communist-dominated ‘Fatherland Front’ took power and led to the abolition of the then monarchic rule. After the outbreak of the Korean War the Bulgarian communist party ...
Following the invasion of the Soviet Army in Bulgaria, in September 1944 the Communist-dominated ‘Fatherland Front’ took power and led to the abolition of the then monarchic rule. After the outbreak of the Korean War the Bulgarian communist party made the decision to support North Korea. There was a propaganda campaign for the collection of relief which was in turn sent to North Korea. From 1952 to 1960 many orphans of North Korea were educated in the East-European countries. Bulgaria also took care of some 500 war orphans. Vasilka Nikiforova, who actively took a part in supporting North Korea during the Korean War, wrote an autobiography. In this book she describes in detail the North Korean war orphans and students, the three formal visits of Kim Il Sung to Bulgaria and her visit to North Korea. This paper is a study on the policy of Bulgaria in the Cold War, using the memories of Vasilka Nikiforova, some materials from the Archives State Agency of the Republic of Korea, newspapers and an interview with a teacher and a school fellow of these orphans.