North Korea is investing heavily in the development of mental sports, which train athletes to memorize diverse types of information quickly.
In the December issue of North Korea’s monthly magazine Geumsugangsan, an article titled “The Doctor Who Cultivates Memory Champions” highlighted the training journey of Yang Jeong Hee. This student clinched first place in the ‘University Student Memory Competition’ held in late August.
Yang reportedly broke world records in three categories during the competition: dominant memory, which involves memorizing numbers and words; face and name recall; and virtual events and chronological memory. All of these were completed within a one-hour time frame. Reflecting on her early experience with memory training, Yang said she initially felt mentally stiff and struggled to adapt.
She explained that long-term memory training requires 1 hour of memorization followed by 2.5 hours of recall. This process demands sustained concentration for a total of 4.5 hours. According to Yang, success requires strong determination and patience.
The article introduced Cha Young Ho, head of Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, as Yang’s mentor. Cha is hailed as a luminary in North Korea’s memory training sphere, having clinched the championship trophy twice at the World Memory Championships and nurtured over 60 memory masters.
Cha, formerly a foreign language instructor, found his calling in this educational niche after being profoundly impacted by literature on global memory training techniques.
Based on his research, Cha developed his own memory methods and published a comprehensive study titled “Brain Development Education Theory.” The book combines research on mental arithmetic, abacus techniques, memory strategies, reasoning skills, and speed reading. According to the magazine, it has become widely read, particularly among North Koreans in their 30s and 40s.
Interestingly, retro educational approaches like abacus use, mental math, and quick calculation – nearly obsolete in South Korea – seem to be thriving in North Korea.
The magazine also noted that Cha has authored more than ten textbooks and reference materials on memory techniques. These include titles focused on child brain development, brain utilization skills, learning abilities, and memory techniques, as well as practical memory strategies that anyone can learn.
The World Memory Championships, established in 1991, is an annual brain sports competition involving national representatives. The international event comprises 10 disciplines in which participants compete to memorize as many images, binary numbers, playing cards, historical events, names, and faces as possible within set time limits.