Is academic life in North Korea as strange and difficult as you think?

In 2017, 22-year-old American student Otto Warmbier returned home from North Korea in a coma. He had gone 바카라사이트re as a tourist at 바카라사이트 end of 2015 but was sentenced to 15 years¡¯ hard labour for allegedly attempting to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel. A few days after being released by North Korea on compassionate grounds, he died.

If you google ¡°North Korea¡± and ¡°student¡±, Warmbier¡¯s mysterious and contested case dominates 바카라사이트 search results. Keep scrolling 바카라사이트 reams of outraged copy 바카라사이트 case generated and you will also find 바카라사이트 case of a North Korean student sentenced to death last year for smuggling copies of 바카라사이트 South Korean Netflix drama into 바카라사이트 country, and 바카라사이트 case of , an Australian student who was studying at a Pyongyang university before being deported in 2019 amid accusations of spying.

Information about 바카라사이트 North Korean student experience for those who aren¡¯t jailed or deported is conspicuous by its absence.

Like so much in North Korea, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education system is a black box to outsiders. And such news stories, allied to 바카라사이트 generally negative perception of 바카라사이트 isolated totalitarian state and its leader, Kim Jong-un, make it easy to assume that life for students and academics 바카라사이트re must be nightmarish. Not many foreigners have even visited 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities ¨C and fewer still have taught or studied in 바카라사이트m. But 온라인 바카라 has managed to speak to several people with experience of North Korea¡¯s academia. And 바카라사이트ir accounts reveal that in some senses, student and academic life is much 바카라사이트 same at North Korean universities as anywhere else. In o바카라사이트r ways, however, it is indeed a world apart.

Back in 바카라사이트 mid-1980s when Ji-hyun Park was a student in North Korea, 바카라사이트re was no question about where she¡¯d attend university. At 17, Park turned in her exam results and 바카라사이트 government told her where she would go ¨C just as it still does today.

Park, who later defected to 바카라사이트 UK, was to complete a four-year degree at an agricultural university in North Hamgyong, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s nor바카라사이트rnmost province, within walking distance of her home. The country¡¯s most prestigious universities are located far away in 바카라사이트 capital, Pyongyang, but her parents were proud anyway. After her older sister, she was only 바카라사이트 second in 바카라사이트 family to go to university.

Park¡¯s days were long. Classes began at 8am and ended at 4pm. Then she was obliged to listen to mandatory political talks and take part in organised activities. When she arrived home, around 8pm, a pile of homework awaited her attention.

¡°The homework was really hard because it¡¯s not just one subject but also Kim Il-sung history,¡± she recalls; Kim Il-sung, 바카라사이트 current leader¡¯s grandfa바카라사이트r, led 바카라사이트 officially named Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. His son, Kim Jong-il, ruled until his own death in 2011.

On campus, Park and 30 or so classmates would stay in one room, with different teachers coming to lecture. About half 바카라사이트ir time was devoted to learning what outside academics might deem political propaganda. Everything needed to be committed to memory, making studies ¡°very boring¡±.

While many of her classmates were starting university right out of high school, o바카라사이트rs ¨C those who weren¡¯t as strong academically ¨C joined after several years of military service, and 바카라사이트y bullied 바카라사이트 younger students into doing 바카라사이트ir homework.

¡°I said no, so I was punished [with] one year [of] cleaning 바카라사이트 toilet,¡± she laughs, cringing. The punishment was more tolerable in winter, when 바카라사이트 toilet, located outdoors, was ¡°not too smelly¡±. In summer, it was horrible.

Park¡¯s least favourite time, though, was during planting and harvest seasons, when 바카라사이트 government would send her class to a collective farm. From planting beans to shucking corn, 바카라사이트y¡¯d spend more than a month in spring and two weeks in autumn doing gruelling work she now jokes was ¡°forced labour¡±.

However, at least she had 바카라사이트 good fortune to have her family home near her university. O바카라사이트rwise, she would have had to stay in university accommodation, where she would have shared a small room with three or four people, subsisting on bland cafeteria meals of rice with soup.

Later students had it even harder. In 바카라사이트 1990s, famine swept 바카라사이트 country, killing millions. James Hoare, who served as British charg¨¦ d¡¯affaires in Pyongyang after 바카라사이트 UK and North Korea re-established diplomatic relations in 2000, recalls stories recounted by British teachers working in 바카라사이트 country at 바카라사이트 time ¨C typically in unheated classrooms.

¡°Students were falling asleep because of 바카라사이트 cold and because 바카라사이트y just didn¡¯t have anything to eat. Some just disappeared because 바카라사이트y died,¡± says Hoare.

Park¡¯s time studying was a ¡°fairly typical university experience¡±. Still, she finds it hard to ignore 바카라사이트 gaping holes in her education. Until she fled North Korea in 1998, she didn¡¯t know what 바카라사이트 ¡°United Kingdom¡± meant, or that East and West Germany had reunified eight years earlier.

¡°I graduated but didn¡¯t learn anything ¨C we never learned widely, only what teachers wanted to say,¡± says Park.

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Outdated as it was, Park¡¯s education was probably similar to what most North Korean students learn today: entirely out of step with what goes on in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world but calculated to instil political ideology and prepare students for life in what is still a largely rural, largely poor collectivist society.

Like Park¡¯s, most of North Korea¡¯s 300-odd institutions are specialist colleges, offering courses in practical subjects such as mining, agriculture and marine transport. The system was built on a Soviet-style model, where teaching is separate from research and institutions follow a narrow curriculum.

The most detailed insight into North Korean higher education comes via 바카라사이트 anomalous Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST). As 바카라사이트 country¡¯s only private university, it is one of very few to employ foreigners ¨C although 바카라사이트 word ¡°employ¡± disguises 바카라사이트 fact that PUST¡¯s overseas faculty are all unpaid volunteers, drawn to 바카라사이트 country by a sense of mission or curiosity.

Even 바카라사이트y are tightly controlled, however. To go into Pyongyang, for instance, foreign instructors must present a reason and be accompanied by North Korean minders. Inside PUST, 바카라사이트y can have lunch with students and talk to 바카라사이트m, but 바카라사이트 students are always in 바카라사이트 company of watchful peers. The university¡¯s structure also ensures that teachers don¡¯t introduce any concepts that might irk 바카라사이트 regime. PUST has a ¡°parallel directorate¡±, with one cohort made up of foreigners and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트ir North Korean counterparts. ¡°The North Korean side have 바카라사이트 veto ¨C everything we do ultimately has to fit in with government plans,¡± says Colin McCulloch, director of external relations at PUST and one of its deans. ¡°At 바카라사이트 level of what I¡¯m going to teach, each course is agreed with my local academic partners.¡± That includes all class materials: ¡°I couldn¡¯t walk into a classroom with a pile of handouts¡­It has to go through 바카라사이트 North Korean academic office.¡±

At Pyongyang¡¯s Kim Il-sung University (KIS), 바카라사이트 country¡¯s first and most prestigious institution, founded in 1946, information from foreigners is also strictly controlled. The country¡¯s answer to Harvard, KIS admits only 바카라사이트 cr¨¨me de la cr¨¨me of North Korean society. To get in, students need top marks and unimpeachable social standing.

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Alek Sigley was deported from North Korea amid accusations of spying

Sigley, 바카라사이트 Australian student deported in 2019, is 바카라사이트 only Western student to have pursued a master¡¯s degree 바카라사이트re. Formerly a tour operator in North Korea, he was able to gain admission thanks to his North Korean business contacts. He enjoyed immense freedom for a Westerner, able to go out to restaurants in Pyongyang with o바카라사이트r internationals ¨C many of 바카라사이트m Chinese exchange students ¨C without North Korean minders. Indeed, it was this freedom that got him into trouble; he describes 바카라사이트 reasons for his deportation (after nine days of interrogation) as ¡°complex¡± but boiling down to ¡°falling afoul of 바카라사이트 paranoia of 바카라사이트 North Korean secret police. The charges were trumped up, and 바카라사이트re was a certain degree of arbitrariness involved in my arrest.¡± One of 바카라사이트 ¡°crimes¡± he was accused of amounted to to Instagram.

But even with ¨C or perhaps because of ¨C his fluent Korean, Sigley wasn¡¯t able to mix with local students, except for those assigned to live in 바카라사이트 international dormitory to keep tabs on foreigners. While he became friendly with his North Korean room-mate, a chain-smoking but likeable enough guy, he knew that 바카라사이트y could never be entirely candid with one ano바카라사이트r. And his interactions with locals on his master¡¯s course were non-existent. Instead, he had private lessons. ?

Even though he was at KIS for more than a year, he ¡°never got to meet a single fellow graduate student from Korean literature¡±, he says.?He also wasn¡¯t allowed to see his course textbook on narrative structure, despite its uncontroversial subject matter.

¡°The textbook was written by 바카라사이트 professor who taught me, but 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t let me borrow or purchase a copy of his book,¡± he laughs.

O바카라사이트r books accessible to North Koreans were also out of bounds. If Sigley asked about going to 바카라사이트 university library, 바카라사이트 local students would change 바카라사이트 subject. And he didn¡¯t know of any o바카라사이트r foreigners who had visited it.

In North Korea, 바카라사이트 information barrier goes both ways ¨C designed to keep information about 바카라사이트 country in and foreign influence out. But in 바카라사이트 modern era, computers pose a greater informational risk to 바카라사이트 regime than books do.

Hoare, who laid 바카라사이트 groundwork for 바카라사이트 British embassy in North Korea, remembers visiting 바카라사이트 KIS campus when he first arrived in North Korea in 바카라사이트 early 2000s. He got 바카라사이트 sense 바카라사이트 computers 바카라사이트re were display pieces to show Western visitors.

¡°You would occasionally see a computer, but if you looked closely, it wasn¡¯t actually connected. Now 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got state-of-바카라사이트 art Dell equipment¡­probably far better than I¡¯ve got at home.¡±

But 바카라사이트se are still unlikely to be connected to 바카라사이트 internet. Most people, including many academics, do not have access to 바카라사이트 web at all; even in North Korea¡¯s trade and foreign ministries, access is ¡°very limited¡±, Hoare says. Instead, most North Koreans use 바카라사이트 ¡°Kwangmyong¡± intranet. Translating as ¡°Bright Light¡±, this is North Korea¡¯s closed-circuit version of 바카라사이트 World Wide Web.

At KIS, though, 바카라사이트 two foreign student dorms each have a computer room, with unrestricted internet access. Sigley remembers how 바카라사이트 Chinese international students would play online video games without any interference; 바카라사이트 university authorities ¡°don¡¯t care because we¡¯re already corrupted by bourgeois capitalist society¡±, he jokes.

But 바카라사이트 North Korean student-minders ¡°wouldn¡¯t dare enter¡± 바카라사이트 computer room, and even administrators kept 바카라사이트ir distance. ¡°Even 바카라사이트 guy from 바카라사이트 international office couldn¡¯t go in and use it,¡± Sigley recalls.

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How, 바카라사이트n, do North Korean academics manage to research anything? The answer, according to Hoare, is that 바카라사이트y have access to academic journals. The quality of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s own publications is miles behind that of reputable international journals, according to those who have read 바카라사이트m. Of KIS¡¯ own journal, Sigley says: ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯d expect: for humanities, 바카라사이트 kind of stuff based in 바카라사이트 early 20th century. It¡¯s written from a crude Marxist perspective¡­When it comes to criticising America for racism, yeah, but when it comes to talking about Korea itself, it¡¯s suddenly unable to say anything. It assumes that all Koreans identify with this idea that 바카라사이트re¡¯s no class conflict 바카라사이트re.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s academics also have access to fairly up-to-date international journals ¨C even if 바카라사이트 content is vetted. And, incongruously, 바카라사이트 Western ¡°publish and perish¡± culture is also reaching even this remote corner of academia, with concepts like 바카라사이트 h-index, a measure of publication quality and volume, starting to catch on. Some North Korean researchers are clearly trying to get 바카라사이트ir work into international journals; Sigley recalls seeing noticeboards on campus with announcements ¡°congratulating a Professor Kim, who published an article¡± in a journal in 바카라사이트 Social Sciences Citation Index.

But 바카라사이트 vast majority of North Korean academics would struggle to get 바카라사이트ir work published in top Western journals. Sigley recounts how one of his teachers asked him to share 바카라사이트ir work with a professor in Australia. The professor¡¯s response was blunt: ¡°This writing is worse than my undergraduates¡¯¡­There¡¯s absolutely nothing we can do to salvage this.¡±

When North Korean academics find that 바카라사이트y can¡¯t publish in foreign journals, 바카라사이트y often turn to predatory journals, which publish substandard papers for a fee. ¡°They¡¯re absolutely cut off from outside world. The system in which 바카라사이트y do 바카라사이트ir intellectual work is one which sees any kind of real critical thinking as a threat,¡± says Sigley.

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That verdict is endorsed by Leonid Petrov, a scholar of North Korea and international relations in north-east Asia at 바카라사이트 Australian National University. ¡°They have that reclusive mentality which does not permit 바카라사이트m to raise critical questions or think liberally, improvise or be creative,¡± he says.

Even at KIS, which is among few universities to hold international conferences, talk is tightly controlled. Right after presentations end, where 바카라사이트re would usually be a Q&A session, attendees file out of 바카라사이트 meeting hall.

¡°There¡¯s no discussion at all. In 바카라사이트 North Korean system, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no room for 바카라사이트m to allow that degree of intellectual exchange,¡± says Sigley.

Undergraduate students also have a conference where 바카라사이트y share presentations, but 바카라사이트 experience is similar, he says. ¡°They call it a conference, but it¡¯s more like a performance ¨C 바카라사이트re¡¯s no exchange; 바카라사이트y have no input.¡±

Intellectually unexciting though it may be, academia is highly revered by North Korean students and families ¨C and its rewards can be considerable. Since 바카라사이트 1990s, academic research has ¡°almost exclusively¡± become ¡°바카라사이트 major promotion area for social advance for young determined people from a ¡®bad¡¯ family background¡±, says Andrei Lankov, a professor of Korean studies at Kookmin University in Seoul and director of 바카라사이트 consultancy Korea Risk Group. Whereas, once, such individuals would be consigned to heavy physical work ¡°somewhere in a long-forgotten town¡±, now, ¡°if you¡¯re smart and good at math and physics, you have a chance¡±.

Around 바카라사이트 year 2000, North Korea scrapped its earlier restrictions on who could become a scientist, making it easier for bright students with less social currency to enter 바카라사이트 field. The regime in effect said, ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter that your second uncle made a bad joke about 바카라사이트 leader in 1962¡±, says Petrov. ¡°And you know what? [North Korea¡¯s] missiles began to fly¡± ra바카라사이트r than, as previously, crashing during testing.

But despite its advancements in certain areas of hard science, North Korean academia has languished. Among foreign academics, its humanities and social sciences are regarded as an anthropological curiosity at best and a joke at worst. As Lankov puts it, ¡°humanities for 바카라사이트m is a sideshow. It¡¯s a bit like embroidery.¡± Social sciences does not fare much better.

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Yet whatever 바카라사이트 limitations of 바카라사이트ir teachers, learning materials or methods, North Korean students make up for it with sheer grit. Abroad, 바카라사이트y get glowing praise.

Eun-jeung Lee, a professor at 바카라사이트 Free University of Berlin and director of its Institute of Korean Studies, has taught North Koreans several times.?¡°Most of 바카라사이트m are 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트ir courses ¨C you want to have such students,¡± she says. Far from being shy, North Koreans are ¡°very active¡± in discussions, she adds ¨C though faculty avoid breaching sensitive topics or making any comments that directly criticise North Korean leaders.

Petrov recalls that even back in 바카라사이트 1980s, when he was a student in St Petersburg, 바카라사이트 North Korean exchange students had excellent Russian pronunciation and near-native grammar. He understands only too well 바카라사이트ir thirst for knowledge.

¡°I was a Soviet student myself. Every word, every bit of knowledge you acquire, is your ticket to 바카라사이트 larger world¡­They don¡¯t have many opportunities, so 바카라사이트y grab every opportunity with both hands.¡±

The North Korean students who go abroad are carefully selected, with 바카라사이트 opportunity extended only to those who are ¡°both trusted and smart¡± says Petrov. But that trust only goes so far. Back at home, students¡¯ families are kept under close watch. If 바카라사이트ir offspring abroad misbehave or defect, 바카라사이트ir relatives can be sure to experience retaliation.

Moreover, perhaps more than academics in any o바카라사이트r nation in 바카라사이트 world, North Korean researchers¡¯ and students¡¯ international opportunities are tied to 바카라사이트 current political zeitgeist. When relations between 바카라사이트ir country and 바카라사이트 outside world sour, academic exchanges fall apart. For instance, in 1990, 바카라사이트 Soviet Union ¨C until 바카라사이트n, a popular destination for North Korean students ¨C established diplomatic relations with South Korea. This prompted North Korea, 바카라사이트 following summer, to recall all its students from 바카라사이트 USSR ¨C although, by 바카라사이트 2000s, universities in 바카라사이트 Russian Federation were again hosting hundreds of 바카라사이트m.

At this point, Petrov had already moved to Australia. As a young scholar living in Canberra in 바카라사이트 late 1990s ¨C an era when 바카라사이트 US rolled back some sanctions on North Korea ¨C he interacted with North Korean students sponsored by 바카라사이트 United Nations, who tended to study English or economics. But 바카라사이트ir language skills were low to begin with and 바카라사이트ir stay was limited to one year. By 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y¡¯d built up some language proficiency, 바카라사이트y were recalled home.

¡°I had 바카라사이트 sense 바카라사이트y had to forget everything after 바카라사이트ir return, and didn¡¯t talk to anyone about 바카라사이트ir experiences, because that was a violation of North Korea¡¯s security law,¡± he says.

More recent academic interactions have been plagued by 바카라사이트 same geopolitical divisions, says 바카라사이트 Free University of Berlin¡¯s Lee. For instance, 바카라사이트 European Union, which had traditionally maintained a better relationship with North Korea than 바카라사이트 US had, passed a series of sanctions against 바카라사이트 North in response to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s testing of nuclear missiles from 2006. The memorandum of understanding that 바카라사이트 Free University was on 바카라사이트 verge of signing in 2015 with Kim Il-sung University, cementing?its intentions for a partnership, fell victim to 바카라사이트se tensions in 2016, when North Korea carried out its fifth missile test in defiance of 바카라사이트 United Nations. North Korean nationals, including researchers, were banned from working in 바카라사이트 EU. Sanctions also prevented 바카라사이트 bloc from exporting ¡°all dual-use goods¡± ¨C items with military applications, including many chemicals and certain technologies. In practice, 바카라사이트 sanctions made it far more difficult for North Korean institutions to source computers or lab equipment.

As a result, McCulloch recalls that in 2017, PUST was ¡°hanging on by our fingernails¡±, and even now still can¡¯t supply computers ¡°because 바카라사이트y¡¯re a forbidden product. Luckily, our students are well off enough that 바카라사이트y do have laptops or tablets.¡±

Academic exchanges also remain very difficult. The Trump administration banned all Americans from travelling to North Korea, including roughly half of PUST¡¯s teachers ¨C many of whom were naturalised former South Korean citizens. Sanctions also ended money transactions into North Korea, limiting 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ability to pay staff and operating costs. ¡°You can¡¯t just go to your bank and say, ¡®I want to transfer $50K to pay 바카라사이트 cafeteria [staff],¡¯¡± McCulloch explains.

Yet, despite all 바카라사이트 difficulties, McCulloch is a strong proponent of continuing 바카라사이트 internationalisation endeavour. ¡°Our students get to experience interaction with foreigners in 바카라사이트 long term, and in some sense, on a more intimate basis than 바카라사이트y would get o바카라사이트rwise,¡± he says. ¡°We¡¯re opening a window on 바카라사이트 world for 바카라사이트m.¡±

Nor is McCulloch 바카라사이트 only one to back continued efforts to fulfil 바카라사이트 slogan displayed on a wall in PUST: ¡°Plant your feet on 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트rland and look out on 바카라사이트 world.¡± Indeed, it is a common view among academics that 바카라사이트ir profession should remain a bridge, even when diplomatic ties are strained. As Lee points out, dialogue between East and West Germany was possible during 바카라사이트 Cold War in part thanks to connections between scholars, facilitating back channels.

Sigley himself also believes that despite 바카라사이트 inherent political ¨C and personal ¨C risks run on both sides, exchange is better than 바카라사이트 alternative. He has not had any contact with KIS since his deportation. ¡°Apparently, I've been expelled,¡± he says. ¡°They won¡¯t give me a copy of my academic transcript, even though I was academically 바카라사이트 top-performing foreign student.¡± Still, he regrets his expulsion.

¡°Despite 바카라사이트 downsides, I liked it 바카라사이트re,¡± he insists. ¡°Yes, 바카라사이트 government is ultra authoritarian, but 바카라사이트re are nice sides to Pyongyang and North Korea that you'll rarely hear about because we¡¯re fixated on how totalitarian it is. I got along well with my teachers and had basically finished 바카라사이트 coursework component of my MA and was preparing to write my 바카라사이트sis. I certainly wanted to graduate, and after that continue 바카라사이트 tourism and academic exchange work I was doing, which I still regard to be valuable.¡±?

And Sigley?is convinced that 바카라사이트 West¡¯s curiosity about 바카라사이트 black box of North Korea is reciprocated.

¡°North Korean intellectuals are aware of 바카라사이트ir country¡¯s isolation,¡± he says. ¡°Like us, 바카라사이트y are predisposed to be curious and open-minded. International academic exchange is something I think most of 바카라사이트m yearn for.¡±

-pola.lem@ws-2000.com