Songun is the North Korean political ideology which that emphasizes a “military- first” approach to government and society. Barbara Demick argues that the rhetoric of songun and other military-first propaganda has been used to justify the government’s prioritization of comfort and plenty for the members of the North Korean military, even as ordinary citizens suffer and starve.
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Songun Term Timeline in Nothing to Envy
The timeline below shows where the term Songun appears in Nothing to Envy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
...When Kim Jong-il assumed control of the military in 1991, he introduced the concept of songun, or “military first,” and oversaw the production and stockpiling of plutonium so that North Korea...
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