Chollima Statue Pyongyang

This impressive statue portrays Chollima, the Korean Pegasus. It’s an interesting example of how the North Korean state has incorporated traditional Korean myths into its cult. According to legend, Chollima could cover hundreds of kilometres a day and was untameable. Kim Il-sung appropriated the myth in the period of reconstruction following the Korean War – so that the zeal of the North Korean workers to rebuild their shattered nation and construct monuments to the leadership became known as ‘Chollima Speed’.