A student group at North Korea’s elite Kim Il Sung University has produced a petition encouraging university students across the country to take part in the “150-Day Battle” during their summer vacation.
North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity (NKIS) released the news on Thursday, citing a source inside North Korea, “A student regiment in Kim Il Sung University sent a petition to universities all over the country, urging them to send students to construction projects during the summer vacation.”
The source said, “Kim Il Sung University held a student general assembly on July 28, wherein they decided to take part in the ‘150-Day Battle,’ help in factories and on cooperative farms, and aid workers.”
“The resolution was read at the students assembly, all the students’ signed it and it was submitted to the Central Committee of the Party through its University Committee. There was even the rumor that the resolution was submitted to Captain Kim Jong Woon,” the source added.
Student mobilization is a constant feature of North Korean student life. Students mobilized for construction or farming during vacations usually have to travel far from home, although in some cases students can get permission to take part in projects near their neighborhood. In such cases, the student has to submit a confirmation from the field manager and the Party committee to prove that they worked at least for 15 days at the site.
“Instead of which, some students invite cadres from construction projects to dinner. During vacations, even though we have a lot of other tasks, we are not given a choice,” the source explained.
The bribe to get a fake work confirmation statement is currently 50,000 to 100,000 North Korean won, according to the source. If a student is unable to submit a confirmation, it counts against him/her on reports and in terms of job allocation after graduation.
