Launched in 1956 or 1958,[1] the movement emphasized "ideological incentives to work harder" and the personal guidance of Kim Il Sung rather than rational modes of economic management.

The word Chollima can be translated as "thousand-li horse," referring to its ability to travel 1,000 li (500 kilometers or 310 miles) in a single day.

It worked to nationalize industry and agriculture completely and become largely self-sufficient in producing food, clothing, and housing for all of its citizens.

[6] Kim Il Sung started the Chollima movement to motivate hard work for the sake of the nation to achieve the desired outcomes of the five-year plan.

At a meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea held in December 1956, Kim Il Sung called on the nation to be more motivated in economic production.

The North Korean government even started a slogan of ‘drink no soup’ to make it so workers did not need to use the restrooms as often.

[10] The slogan of ‘Let us dash forward in the spirit of Chollima’[9] was adopted to help motivate workers, with the result that successes were reported in many areas of economic activity.

"[13] In other areas of North Korea society the term “Chollima speed” is still used to depict rapid completion of expectations, referring to both the mythical horse but also to the economic growth in the 1950s.

[14] In the late 1990s North Korea again called on a second Chollima movement to help strengthen the nation during a period of massive energy shortages and severe famine.

This statue was completed in 1961 and was built “to honour the heroism and invincible fighting spirit of the Korean people like the legendary winged horse Chollima that is said to cover a thousand ri in a day.