[imText1]Just like the hereditary power of Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il, executives generally transmit their power from generation to generation. This happened after Kim Il Sung determined the class structure and it has not been altered until now.
And there will be no differences unless there’ll be a change of government. This phenomenon is easy to understand by the fact that those who occupied power in present day North Korea have been transforming themselves from a class subjected to poverty and starvation to the ‘noble class’.
‘The Baekdusan Range’ is in the Care of the Third Generation
To reach a proper understanding on authority in North Korea, enough comprehension of the structure of the people who built the power is needed. The key figures that North Korea put up are the first generation of revolution, the so-called ‘The Baekdusan Range.’ The Baekdusan Range are people who fought with Kim Il Sung or took part in the anti-Japanese partisans resistance fight.
It was generally the principle that these ancestors were taken care of down to the third generation. With this, the offspring of the Baekdusan Range graduated ‘Mangyongdae Revolutionary School’, or entered ‘Kim Il Sung university’ or were sent to study aboard. Upon graduation, they took charge of workers in the Party or took a high administration post.
Choi Hyun, Jeon Mun Seop, Baek Hak Lim, Lee Uel Sul, Oh Jin Woo… etc. It is almost 100% right if you think the offspring of those leading members who are well known in South Korea worked or are working as a leading member of their former generation.
The second group is composed of those who distinguished themselves in the Korean War. The ones who advanced above the Nakdong Gang battle line are taking better positions. They are maintaining positions as a basic class at the present time in North Korea.
The next are separated into families of fallen soldiers from the war, the families of murder victims (who lost their family or relatives by enemies during war), and families who lost their members by bombing. The government educates these groups of people well and grow as the basic main force to hold the present administration of North Korea. They have a very delicate sensitivity to class distinctions.
The third group are the ‘the endeavor dedicators’ who perform meritorious deeds in the time of building up the foundation of socialism. They are usually the ones who had the audience of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at the forming of the basis of socialism and Chollima campaign period and the enthusiasts.
However, there is the class which will never be able to get the leading position. The so-called ‘basic class to overthrow’ are the pro-Japanese, rebels of the nation, landowners, bourgeoise including the capitalist class, the former enemies such as the Korean Army, former security police during the Korean War and what are called ‘flagrant believers in religion’ are counted among this class.
Laborers are laborers until death, executives are executives from generation to generation
The children of North Korean executives inherit social class by their parents. To succeed in life, North Koreans have to be a member of the labor party first; second, they need to have a career in Military service; third, they must graduate from university; ability comes after that. It is possible to achieve social success by the order of one’s connections from central government even though he has no faculty.
The executives are very careful about aggrandizement of their children. They want their children to inherit the honor of their family, and to hand over their splendorous lifestyles. Upon high school graduation, the executives let their child follow in their steps where they walked and give advice for their future. They first send their children to military service for preparation to join the political party.
The parents who are in high positions use their connections in the Office of Military mobilization (the Office of Military Manpower Administration) to put their child in the most comfortable military unit, which has many allocated for joining political party. The most popular Units are the bodyguards (the security guard of Kim Jong Il) or convoy bureau.
After three to four years of military service in those units, they become a member of the party and get their recommendations for university. The parents have to make a secret deal with the commander of the unit for this. The offspring of executives enter into society at the age of 28 with all evidence of being in the political party, military, and university. While on the other hand, common people become 36 years-old after ten years of military service, they enter university and graduate. Even if they start in the same process, there’s already a gap of eight years that exists.
The children of executives are selected as executives after three revolutionary teams(experience in Field for 3 years now). Offspring of executives in bodyguard unit or safeguard become members of the party after three years serve as noncommissioned officers, graduate from the university of politics and than became the judicial officer after his father.
So people in North Korea think it is natural to assume that the offspring of the chief secretary becomes the chief secretary and the offspring of the chairman of the people’s committee becomes the chairman of the people’s committee. For the common people, joining the political party is difficult, since they cannot go to university so it’s impossible to be an executive. The laborers are the laborers unto death, the executives inherit their position from generation to generation.
But the administration of Kim Jong Il still carry on propagating that North Korea is the society for the labor class. At present, the labor class in North Korea has long been a lost class. Yet in some parts of South Korea, there’s a misunderstanding that ‘North Korea is hospitable to the labors.’ This misunderstanding is far from the truth in the actual administration of North Korea.
