The Political Parties of the North of the Korean Peninsula

Let’s talk about the political groups in the north of the peninsula. There were three kingdoms called Buyeo, Okjeo and Dongye.

Buyeo was a developed state located in the north of the peninsula, and it maintained diplomatic relationships with China from as early as the second century. It had both a judicial and a federal system that distributed governmental power between the king and officials. The people of Buyeo held harvest festivals to ask for blessings from the heavens and enjoyed both dancing and singing. However, Buyeo was absorbed and unified into the emerging power, Goguryeo, in 494.

Okjeo and Dongye were located in what is now North Korea.

There was a special custom in Okjeo. A man brought his future wife to his home and they lived together from a young age. When the girl became an adult, the groom sent wedding gifts to the bride’s family and they married officially. This was a form of compensation for the labor the woman performed in her husband’s home prior to marriage.

Another unique tradition from Okjeo was to build a family tomb. In Okjeo, when people died, the bodies were buried in temporary tombs first and then their bones were gathered later and moved to their individual family tombs.

Dongye also had its own unique customs. When Dongye people married, they only chose unrelated spouses who originated from other regions. Tribes were not permitted to violate regional borders and if they did, a fine of cattle or horses was levied. Murderers were punished by death.

Just like Buyeo, both Okjeo and Dongye were absorbed into Goguryeo in the second century.