Though North Korea faced significant losses during the Korean War (1950–1953), Kim Il Sung’s regime managed to achieve a surprising milestone: the country’s first major public health reform. Ironically, this progress was fueled by a sweeping propaganda campaign that accused the US military of deploying biological weapons. This effort paradoxically spurred advancements in population health amidst the chaos of war and is one of the greatest examples of how political propaganda can shape societies in the most unexpected ways.
Click through the gallery to uncover how this campaign changed North Korea forever.