Propaganda strategies of Korean war-era leaflets

This study employs an interpretive historical analysis of the themes presented in the leaflets produced by South and North Korea during the Korean War. The themes are analysed into four categories: appeals of ideology, personal gratification, communal values, and information dissemination. The most prominent themes of the ideology appeal are those of toadyism, social system criticism, and attacks on the leader of the opponents. Of the personal gratification appeal, themes include persuading opponents to surrender for personal safety, health, and to gain a sense of belonging. Communal value appeal emphasized the Korea's unique characteristics of one blood, one nation, and one ethnicity mentality to promote the authenticity of each side. Information dissemination contained warnings of bomb attacks, claims of superiority in firepower, and assertions intended to disguise the real situation of the war.