Text | Xiao Shenke's notes
Edit | Xiao Shenke's notes
Preface
North Korea is undoubtedly the most mysterious country in the world, and in this era of developed Internet, it is difficult for you to find North Korean citizens on the Internet to express their opinions, so our impression of North Korea seems to have been stuck in the period of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea.
Many people may not know that this mysterious country is commonly known as the "three nos" country because there are no thieves, no obese people and no unemployed people.
Doesn't these things sound incredible, but could it be that Lao Tzu's trip to the Great Road has been realized in North Korea? Or is there something else hidden in this?
No obese people
In recent years, the DPRK has attracted global attention because of its "obesity-free population," so how did they achieve a nationwide absence of obesity?
North Korea has long been controversial for its closed economy and poor domestic standard of living. However, it is this unique environment that makes it difficult for the country's inhabitants to develop obesity.
North Korea's per capita annual income in 2019 was only US$3,200, compared to US$59,560 and US$42,280 in developed countries such as the United States and Japan, respectively. Poor living conditions force most North Koreans to rely on simple staple foods such as white rice, tortillas and tofu, which contain less fat and sugar and help control weight gain.
Eating Xi habits is also considered to be one of the key factors for them to stay in shape. Unlike other highly industrialized countries that overconsume junk food, North Korea's main food sources include natural ingredients such as vegetables, grains, and seafood.
Kimchi is an indispensable part of the lives of the local people. On the other hand, pork, beef and chicken are regarded as precious foods and are generally only enjoyed on special occasions. Such a diet avoids excessive intake of oil and sugar, and can meet the protein and fiber needs of the human body, thus effectively preventing the occurrence of obesity.
Another important reason for keeping North Koreans away from obesity is their limited access to medical care and education. While the government has tried to improve the situation, it has struggled to provide adequate medical care due to ongoing economic pressures.
At the same time, the scarcity of educational resources also limits people's access to knowledge, and many people do not have enough knowledge of this field, let alone scientific fitness methods and nutrition knowledge. For those looking to escape their misery, hard work may be a better way out.
Coupled with factors such as information blockades, most people are still engaged in traditional handicrafts or other low-skilled jobs, such as mining and farming. Long-term repetitive labor will make the body consume a lot of energy, making it difficult for people to accumulate excess body fat.
Therefore, under the combined impetus of various factors, North Korea has become a strange country with "no obese people".
The mystery behind North Korea's "thief-free" society
Despite the fact that North Korea is surrounded by countries with high theft rates, North Koreans seem to be satisfied with what they have and feel the need to steal from others. So, how did this unique society get to such a state?
The social structure of the DPRK has a distinctly collectivist character. Therefore, under the guidance of this concept of putting the interests of the country first and all people are soldiers, individual citizens are more concerned about the development of the community and society as a whole, rather than the gains and losses of a single private interest.
Under the long-term influence of this environment, there is a high level of mutual trust between people, so the occurrence of some thefts is relatively reduced.
For example, if a neighbor is in need, they will take the initiative to send food or daily necessities, and if someone is away for the night, the neighbor will also help take care of the house to ensure safety. This kind of trust and support between collectives leads to closer social ties and greatly reduces the motivation to commit crimes.
Add to this the fact that North Korea has strict laws that severely punish those who commit crimes, especially those involved in anti-state behavior. Any form of dissent or subversion is considered treason and can result in severe punishments, including imprisonment or even the death penalty. This creates a powerful deterrent effect on potential criminals.
In 2017, an American student was sentenced to 15 years of re-education through labor for stealing a painting in a North Korean hotel, which shows the severity of the punishment for such acts.
But after 17 months of detention with the United States, South Korea released him on humanitarian grounds.
In addition, the DPRK has adopted strict household management and household registration management methods to further ensure social stability and security. Each family member is included in the jurisdiction of the local neighborhood committee and the enterprise, and is required to report the situation on time so that the information of the migrants can be monitored in a timely manner.
As soon as outsiders enter the area, nearby residents will soon notice the abnormality. There is also a strict relocation management system, which requires residents to obtain approval from higher authorities when relocating and working, which makes it easier to trace the whereabouts of criminal suspects.
Most importantly, North Korea has a planned economy, so the supply of goods is centrally distributed by the government, and the shortage of materials is not obvious, coupled with the limited demand for material wealth, which largely avoids skirmishes and disputes caused by the competition for scarce resources.
In addition, the DPRK implements a unified wage system for different industries and positions, so that the income gap is not large, and the social contradictions caused by wealth disparity are also avoided, and the criminal motive of the aggravation of the gap between the rich and the poor is reduced.
It is precisely by virtue of a deep-rooted cultural atmosphere of collectivism, coupled with a sound legal system and a strict household and household registration management system, that North Korea has created this rare "thief-free" country in the world.
If you've ever been to North Korea, you'll find that stealing is a social stigma here. Citizens understand the seriousness of such acts and therefore do not take risks lightly.
No unemployed persons
Today, North Korea is poor and backward, and is considered one of the most isolated and poorest countries in the world. But what most people don't know is that North Korea was once also experiencing rapid economic development and a standard of living far superior to that of many developed countries. So, what is the reason for this shift?
In the past, the DPRK was able to achieve rapid development because of the support of the Soviet Union and the successful implementation of a large number of economic construction and reform measures, which enabled it to achieve substantial growth in agricultural production and industrial production, and even surpassed Japan for a time.
At that time, North Korea had a well-developed base of heavy industries, such as steel, chemicals, machinery, and electricity, all of which were among the world's leading industries at the time. Their per capita national income is also quite impressive, reaching a medium level, and the DPRK has also made great progress in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, and sports.
Unfortunately, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the intensification of pressure on North Korea by Western countries, North Korea was forced to adopt a strategy of self-blockade. In the process, North Korea gradually abandoned exchanges with other countries and chose the path of self-reliance.
As a result, North Korea now faces enormous challenges. On the one hand, due to the long-term closure, the domestic infrastructure is seriously aging and productivity is low, and on the other hand, due to external sanctions and other reasons, the country has a shortage of foreign exchange and a tight food supply. These problems have a serious impact on the quality of life of the North Korean people.
However, even in the face of such difficult circumstances, North Korea maintains an extremely low unemployment rate. This has to do with the fact that North Korea has a highly centralized planned economic system, where every citizen is treated as part of the labor resource. The government has ensured that everyone can find a job through strict planning and management.
In addition, North Korea is also cultivating a high-quality workforce through an education system to meet the needs of the future. In North Korea, 12 years of free and compulsory education are implemented, and everyone must complete them from elementary school to high school.
After graduating from high school, you will decide your future path based on your grades, and those with good grades will continue to study at university, while those with poor grades will be assigned to work in factories or rural areas.
But North Korea has not given up on the idea of developing its economy. In recent years, they have vigorously developed tourism, hoping to attract more foreign tourists and thus increase foreign exchange earnings. At the same time, North Korea has also begun to try to promote foreign trade and gradually ease market access restrictions.
summary
North Korea has a deep cultural heritage in its history, culture, and politics. Although there are some problems at present, this does not negate the status and development potential of the DPRK as an independent and sovereign state.
On the road of future development, the DPRK needs to solve its own problems, further promote reform and opening up, and strengthen interaction and communication with the outside world in order to better integrate into the trend of globalization.
This is a time full of challenges, but also an era of opportunities. Let us hope that the DPRK will be able to play a greater role in the future historical stage.