Units of the 25th Brigade of the North Korean border guard based in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, have recently begun cracking down harder on its soldiers using private barbers, designating it a violation of discipline.
“Crackdowns have hardened on border guard soldiers using private barbers,” a Daily NK source in Ryanggang province said recently. “Soldiers weren’t supposed to use private barbers to begin with, but whereas things used to end with mere warnings, penalties are higher now, with soldiers being punished and even squad commanders being punished by association.”
According to the source, border guard soldiers have long used private barbers in residential villages outside their bases.
Getting one’s hair done on base usually means getting a rough cut by senior soldiers with hair clippers, resulting in a rugged look with gaps. Accordingly, soldiers avoid getting their hair done on base.
In particular, with haircut regulations relaxing in 2023, permitting personnel to grow their hair to 3 centimeters, soldiers began using off-base barbers even more.
Strict enforcement and collective punishment
However, units recently intensified restrictions on using private barbers, regarding it as a violation of discipline, and are reemphasizing the rule that soldiers must cut their hair on base.
At one border control unit in Hyesan early this month, commanders used the lecture hour to remind soldiers of the “total ban on using private barbers,” sternly warning the audience that if soldiers are caught using private barbers, they and even their squad commanders will be punished.”
Nonetheless, some soldiers sneak away during their guard duty to visit private barbers. On Nov. 10, one soldier did just that, only to get caught by his platoon commander in a surprise duty inspection.
Ultimately, the soldier had to serve 10 days of continuous guard duty, as did his squad commander, as a form of collective punishment.
“The harsher punishments for using private barbers are aimed at firmly establishing internal military discipline by strictly dealing with even minor infractions with the start of the winter drills in December and ahead of the Ninth Party Congress next year,” the source said.
Impossible to police
As a result, soldiers have stopped going to private barbers in off-base villages, and barbers who used to make money cutting soldiers’ hair have seen a drastic drop in their income.
However, people believe that soldiers will once again frequent private barbershops soon.
“People say that soldiers are being careful right now because of the punishments, but they’ll start going to private barbers again when controls ease over time,” the source said. “Soldiers who used to get their hair done as they like at private barbers won’t be pleased with the rough cuts they get on base.”
