The General Uses Warp

North Korean propaganda song

"장군님 축지법 쓰신다"
Song
Language	Korean
English title	The General Uses Warp
Published	1996
Composer(s)	Kim Un-ryong
Lyricist(s)	Chong Ryol

The General Uses Warp
Chosŏn'gŭl	장군님 축지법 쓰신다
Hancha	將軍님 縮地法 쓰신다
Revised Romanization	Janggun-nim chukjibeop sseusinda
McCune–Reischauer	Changgun-nim Ch'ukchipŏp Ssŭsinda

"The General Uses Warp" (Korean: 장군님 축지법 쓰신다; Hancha: 將軍님 縮地法 쓰신다; RR: Janggun-nim chukjibeop sseusinda) is a North Korean song praising Kim Jong Il. The song was first released in 1996 by Wangjaesan Light Music Band, with lyrics written by Chong Ryol (정렬; 鄭烈) and music composed by Kim Un-ryong (김운룡; 金雲龍).

Background

The song claims that Kim Jong Il and his father Kim Il Sung could use chukjibeop, a magic ability attributed to xians, Taoist immortals, also known as suōdì in Chinese and shukuchi in Japanese. It literally means "earth-shrinking" and describes mythical techniques of rapid movement and teleportation. The story dates back to pre-war times, when a legend arose that Korean guerilla fighters, including Kim Il Sung, used this ability to escape Japanese forces during the war for independence.

This was one of many methods used to deify and exalt the leaders since the Kim Jong Il era, along with claims that Kim Jong Un can bring good weather when he travels.^[1]^[2]^[3] In 2019, however, Kim Jong Un instructed the propaganda workers to stay away from mystification of the leaders. While his father distanced himself from the public with such supernatural praise, the current supreme leader chooses to imitate his grandfather Kim Il Sung, who worked to create a friendly and relatable image.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Lyrics

Korean	Korean (with Hanja)	Revised Romanization	McCune–Reischauer	Translation
동에 번쩍 서에 번쩍 천하를 쥐락펴락 방선천리 주름잡아 장군님 가신다 수령님 쓰시던 축지법 오늘은 장군님 쓰신다 백두의 전법 신묘한 전법 장군님 쓰신다 동에번쩍 서에번쩍 천하를 쥐락펴락 구름타고 오르신다 최전연고지우에 험산준령 비켜선다 번개도 뒤따른다 장군님의 지략으로 승전고 울린다	東에 번쩍 西에 번쩍 天下를 쥐락펴락 防線千里 주름잡아 將軍님 가신다 首領님 쓰시던 縮地法 오늘은 將軍님 쓰신다 白頭의 戦法神妙한 戦法將軍님 쓰신다 東에 번쩍 西에 번쩍 天下를 쥐락펴락 구름타고 오르신다 最前緣高地우에 險山峻嶺 비켜선다 번개도 뒤따른다 將軍님의 智略으로 勝戰鼓 울린다	Dong-e beonjjeok seo-e beonjjeok Cheonha-reul jwirak-pyeorak Bangseon-cheolli jureumjaba Janggun-nim gasinda Suryeong-nim sseusideon chukjibeop Oneureun janggunnim sseusinda Baekdu-e jeonbeop sinmyo-han jeonbeop Janggun-nim sseusinda Dong-e beonjjeok seo-e beonjjeok Cheonha-reul jwirak-pyeorak Gureumtago oreusinda Choejeonyeon-goji-ue Heomsan-jullyeong bikyeoseonda Beongae-do dwittareunda Janggunnim-e jiryag-euro Seungjeongo ullinda	Tong-e pŏntchŏk sŏ-e pŏntchŏk Ch'ŏnha-rŭl chwirak-p'yŏrak Pangsŏn-ch'ŏlli churŭmjaba Changgun-nim kashinda Suryŏng-nim ssŭshidŏn ch'ukchibŏp Onŭrŭn changgun-nim ssŭshinda Paektu-e chŏnbŏp shinmyo-han chŏnbŏp Changgun-nim ssŭshinda Tong-e pŏntchŏk sŏ-e pŏntchŏk Ch'ŏnha-rŭl chwirak-p'yŏrak Kurŭmt'ago orŭshinda Ch'oejŏnyŏn-goji-ue Hŏmsan-jullyŏng pik'yŏsŏnda Pŏn'gae-do twittarŭnda Changgun-nim-e chiryak-ŭro Sŭngjŏn'go ullinda	Lightning flash from the east to the west, The whole world is on his palm. He grasps thousands of ri of the line of defense. The General arrives! The chukjibeop, that the Leader used, Today the General uses it! Paektu's military art, a mystic military art, The General uses it! Lightning flash at the east, lightning flash at the west, The whole world is on his palm. Riding the clouds, he rises up To the high forts at the frontline! The mountains are coming apart, And lightning follows. With the strategies of the General The drums of victory are ringing!

Reaction

Despite being created to praise North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the song became a meme and a source of parodies in South Korea due to its absurd themes. Praising North Korean regime is criminal under the South Korean law, but the use of this song and its parodies is tolerated as it is perceived as ironic and satirical.^[7]

In 2012, when the website of the left-wing Unified Progressive Party was hacked, the hackers used this song as background music on its main page.^[8]^[9]

In 2020, the Korean Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun published a purported anecdote from 1945 in which Kim Il Sung described methods of deception he used while fighting the Japanese forces, while denying the literal existence of chukjibeop:^[10]^[5]^[6]

In fact there is nobody who disappears, and after disappearing reappears, and one can't fold the earth. It is because of active support from the popular masses that we were able to fight against heavily-armed bandits during the anti-Japanese armed struggle. If there is a "chukjibeop," it is the people's "chukjibeop."^[11]

This article was interpreted by South Korean and international media as a possible step back from the supernatural mystification of North Korea's leaders, in line with guidance that Kim Jong Un had provided a year earlier.^[5]^[12]^[13] However, the same article with minor differences was already published by the same North Korean newspaper in 2015 and again in 2018 without any media attention.^[14]

References

^ 김정일 7주기, ‘날씨 길들이고 축지법 쓰는’ 신격화 배경은?. Asia Business Daily (in Korean). 17 December 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ 北 김정일 7주기 신격화 "날씨도 길들이는 장군님". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 18 July 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ "Hidden truths of the Hermit Kingdom". The Japan Times. 26 October 2003. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ "N. Korea's myth-making approach shows signs of change under young leader: experts". Yonhap News. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Kim Jong-un Can't Teleport, North Korean Media Admits". Vice. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ ^a ^b Bouquet, Jonathan (31 May 2020). "May I have a word about… the demystification of Kim Jong-un". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ [기획3] "김 사장님, 이제 슬슬 장로 하실 때 됐네요". NEWSNJOY (in Korean). 18 February 2015. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ 석진환 (2012-02-20). 통합진보당 홈페이지 해킹…북 인공기로 도배. The Hankyoreh (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
^ 통합진보당 홈페이지 해킹...북 인공기 도배. YTN (in Korean). 2012-02-20. Archived from the original on 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
^ "North Korean regime finally admits Kim Jong-un cannot magically bend time and space". The Daily Telegraph. 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
^ Jang Un Kyeong (20 May 2020). "The secret of "chukjibeop"". Rodong Sinmun. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
^ 金正恩氏、また雲隠れ「現実主義」との関連指摘も. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 22 May 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ "Kim Il-sung's Luster Fades in N.Korea". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
^ "Nobody ever said Kim Il-sung could teleport". East Asia Forum. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-31.