The fail of August Faction Incident - 8월 종파 사건

    

Photo credits: 

NIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE/UIG/GETTY IMAGES; KCNA/REUTERS; KCNA/ASSOCIATED PRESS; KCNA/REUTERS

History showed us that even the most powerful leaders had to confront with different coalitions that tried to put them down.

   We all know that Kim Il Sung was the incontestable leader of North Korea, but not many remember that even Kim had to confront a coalition who planned to take over the power from his hands. During the Korean War, especially after the Chinese Intervention, Kim managed to eliminate many of his enemies and to consolidate his power even though attacking South Korea was not a smart move.

   In the beginning of the North Korean political life, the situation was different than the realities we know today. The North Korean Workers' Party was not the only party that was dominating the north Korean politics. There were four main parties:

1. The Domestic Faction (formed by the Koreans who stayed in Korean Peninsula even during the colonial era)

2. Guerilla Faction (Its members were those who fought along with Kim in Manchuria as guerrillas)

3. Yanan Faction (the members were Koreans that emigrated to China and return back in 1945)

4. The Soviet Faction (formed by Soviet-Koreans)

   Starting with 1953 Kim had to do visits in different communist countries, especially in Eastern Europe in order to get help to recover its country`s poor economy. During his absence, the leading members of Yanan Faction along with some members of the Soviet Faction gave a speech criticizing Kim Il Sung's policies and planned to take down Kim and replace him with a collective leadership. The main reason was that they did not like the ascending cult of personality that Kim was promoting. It is not well known if they planned to do a military coup d’état.

   This incident is known in the history as The August Faction Incident or Second Arduous March and it took place on 30th august 1956 during the North Korean Workers' Party plenum. This came as a result of N.Kruscheov' s anti-Stalinism speeches. 

   During the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party, the new soviet leader tried to get rid of Stalin legacy. This affected the communist all around the world and in Hungary and Poland revolution occurred. However, in North Korea this speech did not damaged Kim's imagine as he was already getting the support from the Central Committee.

Why did this collation fail to take down Kim Il Sung?

   First of all, Yanan party`s members did not have a common ideology and identity to relate to and at the same time, they could not control the army or to get any support from the military. 

   Furthermore, no other domestic group supported this coalition as Kim eliminated all his enemies before, he installed fear among north Korean politicians.

During his guerrilla`s years, Kim made allies and he gave all the trust and power to the Guerilla Faction leaders, and by that time, many of the generals in the Korean People`s Army were Kim`s closest men.

 In fact, this unsuccessful coalition had a big impact on north Korean politics, as Kim Il Sung used this incident to eliminate any potential enemy that would have threaten his position as supreme leader. The members of this incident were called rebels and arrested and executed. Even some of them fled to China or the URSS, even their families had to pay the price of the "treason". 

   After this incident, Kim's power was strengthened and made the path for a new north Korean nationalism communism and empowering the Juche ideology. Furthermore, it was the beginning of "independence" and non-intervention in intern affairs from China and Russia.

Sources:

Andrei Lankov, The Real North Korea.

http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collection/116/north-korea-august-1956-plenum-incident

Yuja tea and yakkwa, the best snack for lazy, cozy winter days

When it comes to Korean cuisine, there are 3 characteristics that i love about it:

1. Korean cuisine is healthy and balanced, combining ingredients that are good for the body
2. Korean cuisine is always innovative
3. Each traditional Korean food, beverage, snack etc, has a long and amazing history and a story to tell. If you want to get to know Korean culture and get a better understanding, trying the food is the best solution 

Yakkwa is a Korean traditional sweet snack which seems to be eaten since 6 century Silla Dynasty and it was considered as a medicine. The name itself means yak medicine and gwa fruit, and before it used to have a flower`s shape. During Goryeo Dynasty it became very popular, as the Buddhism flourished, instead of meat, people had this alternative to use in temples, rituals, holidays, etc.



However, in the last dynasty, Joseon, not many people could afford it so it was considered nobility`s dessert.
The ingredients are honey, wheat flour and sesame oil. However, nowadays the recipe is a bit changed and ingredients as cinnamon powder, ginger juice, rice wine etc.

This snack is always present during the ritual for ancestors, and nowadays it is easy to find and very cheap, less than 3 dollars.


But, after eating this dessert you will feel very thirsty, and as outside it is so cold, instead of water, yuja tea goes better.

Yuja tea is not easy to find in western countries and it is specifically Korean.



Yuja is a citrus plant that originated in Asia since long time ago, and initially, it was used for its tree and not its fruits. It was discovered by mistake and since then it became the number one cold medicine for Koreans.

It looks similar to a lemon, but the smell, texture and peel are different. It cannot be eaten by itself and you have to mix it with sugar or honey.

The ingredients are very easy:

1.Yuja fruit
2.Honey (In my case I prefer honey as it is healthier than sugar, but if you drink yuja tea in coffee shops most of the time it is made with sugar)



After you washed and cut yuja fruits you have to mix them with honey and wait for 2 hours, and then you can drink with hot or cold water. The taste is amazing  and it is packed with vitamin C and helps to keep you far from the flu and boosts your immune system.

In my case, it helps me to relax and makes my mood better as it has a strong aroma.






I think yuja tea along with yakkwa is Korea`s best snack. Not only healthy but also they have a big history and nice stories.

Give it a try ~

Buckwheat noodles and Chinese Yam Chicken Soup, the pearls of Gangwon province, Korea

Even though South Korea is a homogeneous country, here, like in any other country, each region has its own unicity.

When it comes to Gangwon province (Northen part of South Korea), 2 specific dishes come to my mind and I really enjoy eating them:

1. Memil guksu or buckwheat noodles 메밀국수




2. Mabaeksuk or Chicken soup with Chinese yam herbs  마닭백숙



1. Buckwheat noodles

Buckwheat noodles are famous especially in Gangwon province because the grain`s crop are better and at the same time it is plenty of vegetables. Why I recommend you this dish?

Buckwheat floor is less glutinous which is not only healthier, but you do not gain as much weight as if you eat another glutinous cereal floor.



Koreans eat this kind of dish especially during summer and it is cold buckwheat noodles.


The ingredients are very simple, but the taste is amazing. Of course, each restaurant has different ingredients, but the main ones are:

• Gocujang or spicy pepper floor 
• Soy sauce
• Different vegetables (cucumber, onion, carrot, etc)
• Kim or seaweed
• Kimchi
• Boiled egg
• fish cake

2. Mabaeksunk 마닭백숙

Well, to be honest, I love this dish, it is so healthy and it has a very strong herbal smell. When I went to Jeongseon, in Gangwon province I tried for the very first time this chicken soup boiled in Chinese yam which is a very known herb in oriental medicine, used since 2000 years ago to cure many stomach disease or pains.

The main ingredients are:

1. Chicken (there the chicken is organic)

2.Chinese Yam or 마

3.Garlic

4. Salt

5. Sesame seeds

6.Rice (put inside the chicken)

7. And of course amazing side dishes 

Gangwon province is famous for its Chinese yam.

The benefits of eating this soup are:

• Nourishing and good source of: vitamin B, A, C
• Reduces constipation
• plenty of beta-carotene
• Reduces cholesterol levels

Koreans prefer to eat this kind of soup especially during summer to combat the heat.

However, the Chinese yam soup is not that famous in other regions.

I bought a bottle of Chinese Yam floor and I made this soup at home and I loved it.

If you are in Korea, you should definitely give this a try !