North Korea is a militarized, male-dominated society. In the Chosn Dynasty which is ancient North Korea, women were expected to give the birth to and rear male heirs to assure the continuation of the family line(North). Women hardly had chance and opportunities to take part in the social economic, or political life of society. There were a few expectations to limitations imposed on women’s role. For example, female shamans were called to cure illnesses by driving away evil spirits, to pray for rain during droughts, or to perform divination and fortune-telling(North).
In modern North Korea, women are expected to fully participate in labor force outside the home. According to my research, women in North Korea are supposed to work eight hours a day, eight hours to study, eight hours to rest and sleep. Women who have three or more children apparently are permitted to work only six hours a day and still receive a full, eight-hour-a-day salary. However, although there are such examples, it appears that women are not fully emancipated. Sons are still preferred over daughters. Women do most if not all of the housework, including preparing a morning and evening meal, in addition to working outside the home. The most of women work in light industry, where they are paid less than their male counterparts in heavy industry. In office situations, they are likely to be engaged in secretarial and other low-echelon jobs(Ask). North Korean men are expected to go to work early every morning, even if they don’t get paid. It is thought to be appropriate and ideal that men obey this policy of the Workers’ Party of Korea, even if the family has nothing to eat(Ask). Therefore, women not men, are expected to take care of everything in the family, no matter how hard it is to making a living, the only duty men are expected to perform at home is to ban family members from doing anything against the policies of the WPK. And if husbands are violent towards their wives the government doesn’t interfere, leaving women to bear the consequences alone(Lee). During the research, I found that violence occurred on a daily basis in three out of 10 households, and less often in others. For me, I can totally understand this situation in North Korea, since China also have this kind of situation, but I can say that we are much better than North Korea, and due to the society develop, people’s opinion has changed a lot and the society status improved a lot. But in North Korea, the situation is still bad. Because of the policy, North Korea closed the door and limited the communication of economic, culture and science with other people. It is very hard for people come to this country, also, lots of North Korean people become defectors to escape their country. In my perspective, I do not like North Korean policy and how the treat men and women differently. I know that North Korea has enacted laws such as the Law on Sex Equality, the Labor Law integrated into daily life to help women, but these social systems have not entirely been successful because North Korean people have an ingrained opinion that men is better than women, this comes from their history, culture, education etc. Although China forced to opened our door, and it brought war for us, what I can not deny is the war brought different culture and new things for us, that is why we changed our opinion and improved women’s social status. I am not saying that North Korea should involve in war or other thing, but it would help this country a lot if they have more communication with other countries. Works Citied Ask a North Korean: are women treated equally in your society? (E. Jae, Trans.). (2015, February 14). Retrieved February 15, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/14/north-korean-sexism-women Lee, J. (2015, February 11). The roles of women in North Korea. Retrieved February 15, 2017, from https://www.nknews.org/2015/02/the-roles-of-women-in-north-korea/ North Korea - The Role of Women. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2017, from http://countrystudies.us/north-korea/35.htm
4 Comments
Abigail
3/14/2017 08:01:16 pm
This was an eye-opening experience reading this blog post. I had read many things about North Korea and the predicament the citizens are in, including unfair working environments, and ridiculous family dynamics, but this put some things into perspective. I had no idea that the women are expected to work for six to eight hours, study for eight hours, and only have eight hours to rest, sleep, relax and do other things. As well as raise a family? I have no idea how they do it. Also, learning about the WPK was very interesting. I know the government in North Korea is a dictatorship, and I know some of what that entails, but I don't often consider what effects it has on real people in the world.
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Erica Selley
3/15/2017 01:24:23 am
I found your blog post very interesting because I have ALWAYS wanted to research North Korea. I have always known that in North Korea, men do the stereotypical "go to work and support for the family" kinda deal, and then women also follow the stereotype of "staying home and taking care of the family, cooking, and cleaning". I find this super unfair, I would be so bored without a job. I love your whole website, keep up the good work. :)
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Danielle Ondrejech
3/15/2017 11:11:10 pm
I found all of this information very interesting, but not very surprising considering how militarized North Korea is. I could not imagine having to go to work and not being paid for it, but knowing how much trouble I would get into if i did not obey this law. Also being a women and having a very strict schedule would be very difficult especially having hat while also having to do house work, and be a mother all at the same time.
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3/16/2017 12:42:01 am
Hi Tongtong,
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