‘Where else in the world does this kind of slavery exist?’

North Korea introduced conscription for women and increased the length of service for all soldiers by three years in an effort to tackle farm labor shortages, sources there told Radio Free Asia.

The changes, which take effect from April, mean men will again have to serve 10 or 11 years, reversing a 2021 decision that shortened their length of service to seven or eight years. For women, instead of voluntarily serving five, they will all now have to serve eight.

The extra years will not be spent firing rifles or marching long distances in preparation for war. Instead, soldiers will collect shovels and hoes to help farmers grow and harvest food.

“According to the revised regulations, it is recognized that soldiers completed military service only after going to the rural area and working on farms for three years before being discharged,” a resident of the northeastern North Hamgyong province told the Korean Service of RFA on condition of anonymity for security. reasons.

Most of the military service is already spent doing forced labor.

The North Korean government routinely uses soldiers for free labor on farms, coal mines, or on construction sites. Life as a soldier is hard; the houses are sterile and the food rations scarce.

“The reality of the KPA these days is that young people avoid enlisting and there are many deserters due to poor nutrition and poor living conditions,” the source said. “They also already thought that the service time was too long.”

RFA was unable to confirm if soldiers who entered the service after the 2021 change and before April will have to extend their service time, or if women who chose not to serve will now have to enlist. But the soldiers who were to be discharged this year will be forced to serve three more years.

give up youth

The young men are furious about the decision because it means they will have to spend most of their 20s in uniform doing forced labor, the source said.

“During their golden years of youth, men have to sacrifice 10 or 11 years and women 8 years, so the enlistees and their parents get angry, saying ‘Where else in the world is there this kind of slavery?’ the source said.

North Korea’s conscription time is already much longer than in other nations. In neighboring South Korea, men must serve 18 months.

More young men are expected to do all they can to avoid enlisting, a resident of the northern province of Ryanggang told RFA on condition of anonymity to speak freely.

There are several ways to exit the service. In general, people are exempt if they have unusual medical problems, family problems, or are considered security risks because they are related to people who fled the country.

The university is another outlet, but the authorities are trying to close that loophole.

“They took steps to restrict the number of people recommended for college admission, except for those who attended gifted high schools,” the second source said.

Gifted schools are for students who excel in their studies. Because they are considered college-bound, they are exempt from serving.

In addition to working on farms, the extension of the service could be an attempt to repopulate the country’s rural areas, the second source speculated.

“Young soldiers in their 20s will go to the farms and probably meet local women. So they are likely to start a family and stay in the rural areas,” she said. “This can help increase the number of farmers.”

Translated by Leejin J. Chung and Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Edited by Malcolm Foster.