The Times October 5, 2009 Richard Lloyd Parry: Behind the story War of words over ancient kingdom of Koguryo In an atheist dictatorship and “workers’ paradise” such as North Korea, King Tongmyong is not an obvious national hero. A legendary archer and horseman of the 1st century BC, he ruled by force of arms. But at his tomb at Ryongsan in North Korea, a country based on its aggressive rejection..