Beyond The Walls

By Junie Smith

 1945- The Korean Peninsula divided into two countries.

North Korea was created and led by the Soviet Union.

1950- After a three year war a 53 year-old ceasefire was signed. They describe themselves as Socialist Republic, and hold elections, but evidence in history shows them to be Hereditary Dictatorship. All healthcare, education, housing, and food production are state funded or subsidized. North Korea follows a military first policy which puts the government as priority. North Korea has the 4th largest active army duty(next to India, China, and the U.S.), but has one of the lowest world-wide food output. The People have no access to any other country. Due to self-isolation, North Korea is known as the hermit kingdom.

North Korea - Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea

 Born on 8th of January, 1983.

One of five.

Married to Sol-Ju Ri
Daughter- Kim Ju-Ae

Successor to Kim Jong Il(father).

Assumed office 17th of December, 2011.
Worlds youngest head of state.

Holds two degrees:

Physics-Kim-Il Sung University Army Officer-Kim-Il Sung Military University

The Young Leader Kim Jong Un

The Families

 The family is regarded as a cell, or a unit of society. The Father/Grandfather, is not longer the head of family. Military Services and Work right out of teen years causes late marriage.
Due to common malnutrition, late marriage also effects fertility rates.

Marriage ceremonies still exist but without extreme cost or grandeur.

Families who raise crops celebrate weddings after harvest.

Infants are place in a nursery till four years old.

Family Life in Urban Homes

 Outside Pongyang(capitol), over 80% of the countrys land mass is mountain terrain, making farming difficult.
Most attempt to harbor their properties in the flatlands for better irrigation.

Self-Sufficiency in food production remains an important part of daily living and is considered a worthy goal. Marriage
More recently, women in rural families marry later, leading to poor fertility rates. Almost never remarry. Men rely on women to care for the children and household while they labor. They often remarry.

Although government policies aim to shorten the gap between the rural and urban living, food shortages outside Pyoung-Yang have been repeatedly documented.

Families Outside PyongYang

 In 1987, 220,000 students attended a higher education. Only those who excelled Middle-School and fell under specific political criteria were allowed to attend. From Nursery to higher education, the students are taught to indefinitely worship the leader

Education

 Religious outlook is based on multiple faiths.

Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and even Christianity.

1953- Most Christians fled to the South, as they were deemed bad elements by the North. In several articles of the 1948 constitution(Article 14,54), state that the DPRK allows freedom of religion but no foreign powers to spread it.

Religion

 China
Many North Koreans flee to China, the lifestyle not much better.
Often end up in human-trafficking, slavery, or deported back to North Korea.

South Korea

For those who disagree with the DPRK.

After the empowerment of Kim Jong-Un, the refugee number went down to barely over a hundred, as he strengthened the military boarders.

Human Camps
Made for: Runaways, political criminals, families/friends of criminals. Populated by over 50,000 North Koreans. Actively involved in human experimentation.

Outside Society

 Yost, Peter, dir. "Ep.14 Inside North Korea." National Geographic. History: 27 Feb 2007. DVD. Hayes, Peter. "Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom." 21 Sept 2004. Nautilus Institute, Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Cavanagh, Niall. Girl Wearing Summer Dress. N.d. Photograph. http://busanhaps.com/article/photos-exclusive-look-inside-north-koreaWeb. 19 Nov 2013. Cavanagh, Niall. North Korea Food. N.d. Photograph. http://busanhaps.com/article/photos-exclusive-look-inside-north-koreaWeb. 19 Nov 2013 MacAskill, Ewel. Korean Army. N.d. Photograph. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/29/us-condemns-north-koreathreatsWeb. 19 Nov 2013. Maye-E, Wong. North Korean Children Performing for the Leader . N.d. Photograph. http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2013/07/north-korea-rolls-outmissiles.htmlWeb. 19 Nov 2013. Rhett, Butler. <http://www.mongabay.com/>.

Bibliography