Songdowon International Children’s Camp supposedly provides mental and physical training to children and teenagers while promoting their welfare, but critics say it’s becoming a place where only the children of the powerful and wealthy can afford to go.
A Daily NK source in South Pyongan province said recently that middle schools in Kaechon “are recruiting students for a trip to Songdowon International Children’s Camp following an order from the city’s education department.” However, some students have given up on going “because of the high costs.”
According to the source, Songdowon International Children’s Camp in Wonsan, Kangwon province, is a premier campground for students in the Korean Children’s Union and offers various sports, cultural and educational programs. Students consider camping there a very special experience, since most get only one or two chances to visit in their lifetimes.
However, students from poorer families cannot attend because their families must cover all camp costs. Because of this, participation rates among Kaechon’s middle school students are quite low.
Kaechon’s Inhung Middle School told students to prepare 800,000 North Korean won per person for the trip. This covers transportation to and from the camp, vehicle fuel, food during the trip and camping supplies.
Kwangbok Middle School asked students to pay 1.1 million North Korean won per person for similar expenses.
Students ultimately need between 800,000 and 1.1 million won to participate — a considerable sum that could buy 50 to 80 kilograms of rice at market.
Schools struggle with low participation
“Some students really want to go and beg their parents, but ultimately give up when their parents say they can’t afford it,” the source said. “With students dropping out, homeroom teachers are trying to persuade parents to boost the numbers.”
Teachers plead with parents, telling them the trip would be a “good opportunity” and precious experience for their children, but parents say they simply cannot afford it, no matter how much they’d like to send their kids to camp.
Given this situation, some schools have cancelled their participation plans entirely, while others are organizing trips only for students who can afford to attend.
With only students from well-off families going to camp, students really feel the wealth gap, the source said.
“The state calls on schools to actively encourage attendance at the camp as an important Korean Children’s Union activity, but in reality, the cost creates a huge burden,” the source explained. “Ultimately, the camp trip offers nothing but feelings of deprivation for students, guilt for parents and pressure on teachers to fill quotas.”
