Kim Il-sung’s Graduation from Yuwen School: Chinese Data Released amid Strained Sino-DPRK Relations

This study analyzes the extent to which China adhered to shifting North Korean narratives on Kim Il-sung amid turbulent bilateral relations between the two communist neighbors. It considers these ties in relation to Yuwen School, where Kim Il-sung studied during the late 1920s and early 1930s, and which historically has been a key site and symbol of bilateral exchange and cooperation. For decades, China deferred to North Korea on the sensitive issue of biographical information on Kim. However, during a recent period of strained Sino-DPRK relations, China published new material on Kim’s graduation from Yuwen which represents a rare instance of China contradicting the North Korean biography of Kim. This analysis challenges DPRK narratives on the “Great Leader” from the perspective of historical and geopolitical contexts, and in so doing introduces new material which contributes both to the early biography of Kim and to recent debate on his graduation from Yuwen School. It offers a fresh perspective on the recent difficulties in the Sino-DPRK relationship, and considers how contemporary changes in this complex bilateral alliance shape the biographies of North Korean leaders.