When it comes to North Korea, many people are not strangers. North Korea is adjacent to us and has a planned economy. Many things related to the lives of the Korean people are distributed by the state. For example, housing package distribution, work package distribution, food also package distribution. Most of the ordinary workers in North Korea work in state-owned enterprises. North Korean men don't think about starting a business, they want to make a fortune.
We traveled to North Korea and went to Kaesong. Kaesong is the second largest city in North Korea and an ancient city in North Korea. It has a long history and can see many ancient buildings in Kaesong. Most of Kaesong's people also work in state-run units. However, near the residential areas of Kaesong, I saw some interesting phenomena. Near some residential areas in Kaesong, I saw grandmothers setting up stalls.
Our tour guide said that North Korea implements a retirement system, and the elderly can receive pensions after retirement. However, it is not uncommon for North Korean grandmothers to set up stalls. In many places, elderly women can be seen setting up stalls. What makes people feel strange is that the people who set up stalls in North Korea are women, and it is rare to see grandfathers set up stalls. In North Korea, setting up stalls to make money appears to be a patent for women.
Although it is rare to see grandfathers selling things on the streets of North Korea, in Kaesong, grandfathers will also find ways to make money. Some of the Grandfathers of North Korea will help people repair bicycles, and some will help people mend their shoes or pots. In the residential areas of Kaesong, I have seen many grandfathers squatting by the wall, helping people repair bicycles, and the business is very good. In North Korea, bicycles are a very important means of transportation, and almost every household has bicycles. Repairing bicycles has also become a business in North Korea.
North Koreans are very frugal, for example, when their shoes are broken, they don't want to throw them away, but they want to make up for them and wear them again. Therefore, repairing shoes in North Korea is also a business. The life of the Kaesong people in North Korea is reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s. Compared with the elderly in Kaesong, the life of the old people in Pyongyang is much more leisurely. On the streets of Pyongyang, it is rare to see grandparents setting up stalls to make money, and Pyongyang's grandfather likes to play chess and like to fish. And the grandmothers like to get together and make small talk. What do you think about the lives of North Koreans?