More North Korean university students these
days dream of becoming prosecutors rather than trade workers, despite the pervasive
awareness of the significant profits to be made in the latter field. This comes
as prosecutors are enjoying greater power with the growing number of mandates
issued by Kim Jong Un that need to be enforced while traders deal with the anxiety that their lines could be cut at any time.
“More college students want to become
prosecutors rather than State Security Department [SSD] agents or traders,” a
source from South Pyongan Province informed Daily NK on Wednesday.
“The number
of orders issued by the Central Party has increased since Kim Jong Un assumed
power; the prosecutors can have power over cadre members of state agencies and
donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More [new affluent middle class] in implementing these mandates,” she said,
explaining why the job is gaining more popularity.
This news was corroborated by an independent
source in North Pyongan Province.
While lawyers study law just as prosecutors
do, their role is far more limited, confined solely to defending
plaintiffs or defendants. Outside of this area, their power is greatly diminished.
“In North Korea, orders (from Kim Jong Un) supersede
any laws, so working for a year as a lawyer makes you no money. You don’t even
make enough money throughout your life to buy a decent home,” the source
explained.
She added, “North Korean students who are
interested in what goes on in the rest of the world know that in countries that
uphold the law, lawyers can gain prestige and also make a lot of money. But in
today’s North Korea, everything is backwards, so abiding by the law will only
ruin your life.”
Any chance at survival in this climate is
contingent on smarts and “how to get around in the world,” she explained,
saying that for students looking to become prosecutors, this means paying
bribes and cultivating and strategically navigating personal connections.
In order to be a prosecutor, students must
obtain a degree in law or political science and economics or hail from the SSD academy, according to the source. However, simply graduating from such programs
would not only require thousands of dollars in tuition but similar sums in
bribes for Central Party cadres tasked with filling personnel spots at prosecutors’
offices.
“But once you get in as a prosecutor, you
can make all that money back within a year and come into major wealth,” she
asserted. Under these circumstances, students without money give up early on
and some even quit school to find other ways to make money.
In the past, teachers were highly coveted
jobs–avenues to “perform the work of revolutionaries” upon graduation from
university. Now, as the source put it, “That’s all in the past.”
“Teachers are no longer treated well, so
you’re considered wise if you can receive an in-city post and oversee children
of donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More, she said, adding that as times shift, so do perceptions regarding
jobs that can offer a good living and stability, leading many students to
“alter and create new goals for themselves.”
