The Juche Calendar

In North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea), the year 2026 is officially the year **Juche 115**. This calendar system was introduced in 1997 to reflect the state's ideology of *Juche*, or self-reliance.

The Origin Point

The Juche calendar counts years from 1912, the birth year of Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea. Because 1912 is considered year 1, the math is simple: just subtract 1911 from the Gregorian year.

Hybrid Usage

The calendar is used for all internal administrative purposes, newspapers, and school textbooks. However, for international treaties, aviation, and scientific research, the Gregorian calendar is almost always included in parentheses (e.g., *Juche 115 (2026)*).

National Significance

The Juche calendar is a tool of national unity and a constant reminder of the state’s foundation. It serves to separate North Korea from the Western world’s chronological standards, centering the history of the universe on the birth of a single leader.

Conclusion

The Juche calendar is a rare example of a modern, secular calendar created for political reasons. On the Epoch Clock, we track time through code that is agnostic to politics, but the Juche system shows how time can be used to define a nation's identity.