We started with the books. European books belonged in Europe, not in Korea. Any text written by a foreign author was therefore slated for burning. The masses made a very public show of destroying these relics from the past. They couldn’t be more delighted to remove all foreign, contaminating ideas out of their homes. A few volumes were kept in the libraries, available upon request—which grew fewer and fewer. Thanks to the educational work of the Party, people literally knew better than to ask for such dangerous things.
