North Korea ended its use of the Juche calendar after 27 years, reverting to the Gregorian calendar in 2024. This marks a significant cultural and political shift in the nation’s timekeeping.
The North Korean calendars for 2025 published by the Foreign Languages Publishing House do not only mark the start of a new year but also of a new era.
Or rather, reverting to an old era at least when measuring years.
For the past 27 years, North Korea used the Juche calendar. Years were indicated as, for example, 주체113 (2024).
It was first reported in mid-October that North Korea scrapped the Juche calendar and the use of Juche years in official publications.
The 13 October 2024 publication of the party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, was published using only the Gregorian Calendar.
A news report on the Korean Central News Agency’s website was published using only the year 2024.
The Introduction of the Juche Calendar
The use of the Juche calendar was institutionalized in a decree on the third anniversary of the passing of Kim Il Sung on 8 July 1997.
From that time on, the anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung was also named the Day of the Sun. Interestingly, in 2024 the use of this term became less frequent if not completely phased out.
Although Koryo Tours was informed that 15 April is not referred to as the Day of the Sun any more, the 2025 calendars published by the Foreign Languages Publishing House still refer to the birthday of the
Eternal President as the Day of the Sun (4.15 태양절).
What is the Juche Calendar?
The Juche Calendar designated the birth year of Kim Il Sung, 1912 as year one.
Therefore, 1912 became 주체1, 1997 the year when the Juche calendar was introduced 주체86, and 2024 the last year it was used 주체113.
It appeared in every publication and wherever the date was indicated in format.
Is it Still year 114 somewhere?
Coincidentally, the Minguo calendar used in Taiwan is the same as the Juche year used to be.
The Republic of China was founded on 1 January 1912 and the year of the foundation marked year 1 in Chinese calendars.
This is not so surprising given that in China the start of the reign of a new emperor marked a new era and thus a new year.
1911, for example, was Xuantong 3 (宣統三年), the 3rd year of Emperor Xuantong.
The Minguo year is so embedded in Taiwanese life that when with a Taiwanese friend we wanted to figure out if I am the same age as his brother, my friend needed some time to convert his brother’s birth year to the Gregorian year.
The Dangun Calendar
Between 1945 and 1961 South Korea used the so-called Dangun Calendar.
The calendar is named after King Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea and Gojoseon and counted from 2333 BCE when the first Korean state was founded on Mt. Pakedu.
The 1 March 1919 declaration of Korean independence was also dated as "The 4252nd year of the Kingdom of Korea, 3rd month, 1st day".
The Dangung calendar was later used in the 단기4252년 [Dangi 4252 Year] format.
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