The bulletin of Chongryon played a vital role in conveying the circumstances and culture of North Korea to Korean residents in Japan. Under the influence of the North Korean movement for gender, equality, and literacy, Japan’s female Korean resident...
The bulletin of Chongryon played a vital role in conveying the circumstances and culture of North Korea to Korean residents in Japan. Under the influence of the North Korean movement for gender, equality, and literacy, Japan’s female Korean residents were encouraged to receive education and seek employment in society. The Democratic Korean Women’s League in Japan, which was affiliated to Chongryon, was invited to join Chongryon’s activities to promote the values of their homeland. Since the late 1950s, however, the role of “motherhood” has become prominently emphasized despite the spread of gender equality. This indicated a return to patriarchy, with women’s primary roles effectively reassigned to the raising of children-the future of the nation republic. On the other hand, the roles of “fatherhood” and “father” became less pronounced. In this process, projecting an appearance that emphasized the identity of “Korean women” was encouraged. The chima-jeogori, a Korean women’s traditional dress, was connected to ideals of “ethnic consciousness,” “homeland,” and “patriotism” and represented “women” and “mothers” as great heroic figures.