North Korea has been boosting support for orphans to underscore the regime’s benevolent leadership, but some see that policy as amounting to reverse discrimination against other children.
A source in South Hwanghae province told Daily NK that the provincial party committee has recently been amply funding state-run homes and schools for orphans.
As part of that program, orphans in the province were given new school uniforms and bedding, as well as seasonal vegetables, fruit and fish, in early September to mark the new semester and celebrate the Day of the Foundation of the Republic, a North Korean holiday that falls on Sept. 9.
“These gifts can be regarded as a special dispensation of the party’s affection and benevolence. The government claims that these programs embody the virtues of our society, but they’ve proven controversial. Some think that giving orphans things that many families can’t afford is reverse discrimination,” the source said.
For example, homes and schools for orphans have refrigerators and air conditioners, appliances that would be a rare sight in a typical family home.
Furthermore, these facilities’ cafeterias, bathhouses, sports fields and infirmaries are apparently among the finest in the country, reflecting the resources dedicated to facility upkeep as part of the orphan assistance policy.
Orphans get priority for college, jobs while other children struggle
Another issue is that orphans are often prioritized for university admission, party membership and government employment. In contrast, the children of low-income earners have little chance of getting into college. When those children are enrolled in the military or hired for civilian work, they are typically assigned to hardship positions that most people aim to avoid, the source said.
Those are some of the reasons that an increasing number of North Koreans regard the regime’s orphan support policy as reverse discrimination. They are unhappy to see orphans seemingly living a life of privilege when parents struggle to feed their children.
“The party’s focus on supporting orphaned children sometimes leads to discrimination against children whose parents are living. That’s what happens when the party puts a higher priority on propaganda than on people’s lives,” the source said.
“You see tons of kids who aren’t even orphans begging on the streets because they’ve got nothing to eat at home. That leads some to say that not having parents might be better because that would get you into an orphanage.”
When school classes started back up early this month, Pyoksong county rounded up truants from the streets. The authorities reportedly nabbed 30 teenagers in a single week but sent most of them home upon learning they were not orphans.
“In the end, the struggle to survive will drive these children back to the streets. It’s no wonder some people bitterly conclude that if you can’t take care of your children, you should get out of the picture so they can be admitted to a government home,” the source said.
