Chollima Movement

A North Korean mass movement that spurred workers to compete to raise output; collectivization of farming and commerce was completed at the same time.

After the Korean War North Korea completed its Three-Year Plan for reconstruction (1954–1956) with aid from the Soviet Union, China and others. Having purged his opponents in the August Faction Incident of 1956, Kim Il-sung turned, as aid dwindled, to squeezing the utmost labour from the population, which led to the Chollima Movement.

Under the slogan of racing ahead "at the speed of Chollima", the mythical winged horse, work teams were set to compete and the best were named Chollima work teams. By 1958 agriculture and private commerce and industry had been collectivized, completing the socialist economic system.