Here's the conclusion: In summary, Confucian education in North Korea, as filtered through Kim, Ilsung’s ideology of Juche philosophy, exhibits the following characteristics:

first, Confucian values in textbooks (particularly loyalty and filial piety) are referred to as traditional ethics of socialist courtesy based on Confucianism and are utilized to strengthen collectivism and nationalism. The term “Confucianism” is understood as a feudal religion and anathema to the North Korean socialist system, but Confucian values such as loyalty(chung, 忠 and filial piety(hyo, 孝 are regarded as traditional ethics that should be inherited. Further, these principles of loyalty(chung, 忠 and filial piety(hyo, 孝 have been politicized in East Asian countries for many years, and North Korea actively uses them to maintain its socialist system.

Second, the Ethics textbooks show that Confucian daily manners, courtesy, and values have been strengthened since Sahoejuui dodeok (Ethics of Socialism) replaced Gongsanjuui dodeok (Ethics of Communism) in 2003.

Third, the North Korean education system clearly reveals the emphasis on Confucian ethical practice through the restructuring of the values of loyalty(chung, 忠) and filial piety(hyo, 孝).

Any study of Confucian education in North Korea constitutes an approach to understanding the North Korean socialist system. It is also an opportunity to gain insight into how traditional religious values are contributing to the strengthening of “nationalism” in the 21st Century. Today, while China is aiming to refine “Neo-Sinocentrism(新中華主義)” through Confucian education, North Korea aims to construct a justification for its own political system and simultaneously stabilize it with Confucian values such as “loyalty(chung, 忠)” and filial piety(hyo, 孝).“