Despite North Korea’s prohibition on fortune-telling as a form of anti-socialist behavior, there are reports indicating that officials in the country have been seeking guidance from fortune-tellers since the beginning of the new year to understand their prospects amidst personnel changes within the ruling Korean Workers’ Party.
According to a source in Pyongan Province cited in a report by South Korea’s “Daily NK” on January 29, officials and their families in the region have been visiting fortune-tellers to predict their fortunes for the year 2026.
The source added that national security personnel have been monitoring the fortune-tellers’ residences to verify the identities of visitors.
Officials in North Korea are reportedly concerned about potential significant personnel changes following the Ninth Congress of the Korean Workers’ Party, leading to worries about their positions. This sense of insecurity has driven them and their families to seek fortune-telling services.
One provincial prosecutor’s office official faced disciplinary action for releasing a drug offender after accepting a substantial bribe. In mid-January, the fortune-teller advised him that performing a witchcraft ritual and bribing superiors might help him avoid punishment. Consequently, he spent a hefty sum on the ritual and even gifted the fortune-teller an electric bicycle.
In early January, the wife of a party official in Pyongyang visited a fortune-teller and presented 10 kilograms of rice. Her husband had been instructed by superiors to write a self-criticism letter due to his involvement in multiple incidents. She sought insights into her husband and family’s destiny.
The source mentioned that it is not just a few officials and their relatives who seek fortune-telling or participate in witchcraft rituals. The higher their rank, the more superstitious officials are about fortune-telling, and the fees collected by fortune-tellers from them are substantial.
When officials are concerned about being discovered visiting fortune-tellers, they have the fortune-tellers come to their homes to perform readings and rituals. Even then, they must be extremely discreet as community patrol leaders may report them to national security officials.
Although national security authorities regularly patrol fortune-tellers’ residences and conduct surveillance, fortune-tellers often bribe the authorities to avoid being caught and penalized. Consequently, very few individuals are actually apprehended and punished.
The source stated that national security officials accept bribes from fortune-tellers and even indulge in fortune-telling themselves, preventing them from blindly arresting fortune-tellers. However, given directives to crack down on superstitious practices, national security officials are contemplating their course of action.
He also mentioned that it’s not just officials who seek fortune-telling services; especially at the beginning of the new year, masses of people visit fortune-tellers hoping to gain insights into the upcoming year’s fortunes, prompting national security authorities to reconsider their approach.
An earlier report by South Korea’s “NK News” indicated that despite North Korea’s prohibition of official religions, folk beliefs and fortune-telling are popular among the populace.
Some North Koreans are deeply intrigued by folk religions and the spirit world, even consulting fortune-tellers to choose the best date for moving house or getting married. Many defectors also consult fortune-tellers in advance to determine the optimal time to cross into South Korea with their families.
Sometimes fortune-tellers tell terrifying stories or tales of the afterlife, which the visitors often spread. Like elsewhere, North Koreans fear death, making these stories popular in many circles.