South Pyongan province in North Korea has begun selecting workers to be dispatched to China following orders from the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
A source in the province told Daily NK recently that the order, issued by the Central Committee early this month, makes clear that the Workers’ Party of Korea is directly involved in the selection process.
The order states that the main candidates for selection at seafood processing and textile factories in China are unmarried women aged 19–23.
“The province is currently taking a very methodical approach to selecting people to be dispatched overseas. The six criteria for selection are health, loyalty to the Party, consistently demonstrating a hard-working attitude, impeccable character as a woman, feminine appearance and technical knowledge,” the source said.
South Pyongan province is soliciting recommendations for women meeting these criteria from branches of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League in major cities and counties throughout the province.
As the youth league branches rush to make recommendations, the family background and ideological commitment of candidates are being carefully scrutinized as well.
Since the selection of workers for overseas assignments was ordered by the Central Committee, youth league branches are excluding women from families that might be categorized as “impure elements,” the source explained.
Once the list is finalized, candidates will undergo group physical exams through December at designated hospitals in Pyongsong and various counties.
Ideological training before departure
After being placed in a pool of potential overseas workers, candidates will be admitted to “ideological study groups” for instruction in the diplomatic activities of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“The ideological study sessions focus on teaching workers that going overseas is not merely about earning money but about embodying the will of Kim Jong Un for the world to see. Workers are given extensive loyalty training, including warnings about what will happen if they behave disloyally overseas,” the source explained.
While young women are excited at the prospect of earning money overseas, they are also reportedly concerned that their families could pay the price for any mistakes they make abroad.
Given rumors about the mental and physical challenges faced by women working in China, there are signs that North Korean women are reluctant to accept overseas assignments.
But provincial officials are taking thorough precautions to prevent any problems in the selection process. Family members of women recommended by various party organizations are being called in and warned that “when the party does you a favor, you can’t turn it down.”
“People are generally anxious that if they or their family members express opposition to or dissatisfaction with an overseas assignment, there may be unpleasant consequences. Some people are frustrated that first young men were sent to die in Russia, and now young women are being sent off with no promise of return,” the source said.
“With the government pushing to send more workers overseas, these recruitment drives are likely to become much more frequent going forward. Young women feel considerable pressure to accept assignments that would turn their lives upside down.”
