Chollima

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Chollima is the Korean name, literally meaning "Thousand Li Horse", for a mythical horse common to East Asian cultures and originating from Chinese classics. The horse is said to be too swift to be mounted. Chollima is often portrayed as a winged horse and several such statues are found in the North Korean capital Pyongyang.

It gave its name to the Chollima Movement, a state-sponsored movement in North Korea, analogous to the Chinese Great Leap Forward and to promote rapid economic development. As in other countries, the state planning mechanism allowed for the total utilisation of resources, hence resulting in rapid industrialisation. However, after some time, the movement failed to continue to achieve the same outstanding results, because the capacity of the Labour supply was fully taken up, whilst technology and technique were still lacking. It remains today as a symbol for the supposed strength and might of the country, with many songs about the Chollima written. Chollima is also the name of one of the lines of the Pyongyang Metro.

The Northern national football team's nickname is Chollima. Chollima is also the name of a North Korean magazine.

See also

• Korean mythology
• Juche
• Politics of North Korea
• List of Korea-related topics
• Pegasus

External links

• Photograph of a Chollima statue in Pyongyang

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Last updated on Tuesday March 04, 2008 at 21:46:41 PST (GMT -0800)
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