The North Korean army is declining as young Koreans lose interest in it. Bribery on a rise and party - Polidicks

[img]http://www.nknews.org/wp-content/themes/NKNews/timthumb.php?src=http://www.nknews.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/NKarmy1.png&w=657&h=360&q=100[/img] [quote]North Korean army barracks are not a nice place to be, even by the tough standards of barracks worldwide. Conditions are tough, food supplies are poor and discipline is harsh. To make matters worse, the average length of military service in the North is now close to 10 years (though it used to be even longer). Nonetheless, until roughly 2000, the Korean People’s Army (KPA) had little problem with recruitment. In those not so distant days, till the outbreak of famine, only the children of the top elite could and would opt out of military service. The North Korean recruitment system followed the Soviet prototype and exempted those who successfully passed college entrance exams immediately upon graduation from a high school. Most elite children went to university straight from high school, so they did not have to worry about the draft. Conversely, people with suspicious family backgrounds were also not eligible for the draft in North Korea. A landlord’s great-grandson would not usually get into the military, since he was not seen as reliable and worthy enough. However, members of this discriminated group did what they could to be drafted: being drafted meant being accepted to the mainstream. Others went to the military with little discontent or resistance. AIM HIGH This general enthusiasm for lengthy and demanding military service might appear strange, but actually it is easy to explain. In North Korea military service has long been the major (and easiest) avenue for social advancement. The military was the place where it was easy to formally join the ruling Workers Party of Korea (WPK). As a rule, a soldier who has spent his 10 or even 13 years in uniform without committing any serious misdemeanor had good chances of going home with a party membership card in his pocket (or rather in a special pouch in which party membership cards are usually carried by North Koreans). This was also the case for women, whose military service was shorter and strictly voluntary. For women from non-privileged social backgrounds, a few years of military service might be was the sole way to become a party member.[/quote] [url]http://www.nknews.org/2014/04/why-interest-in-the-north-korean-army-is-dropping/[/url] Like in the Soviet Union, Communist parties generally tend to start eating themselves given enough time.

I wish the best luck to everyone involved in that mess of a country, it won't be a nice way down, but hopefully it will be the road to better tomorrows.

It's all finally starting to unravel for them. Thank god.

Reunifications will be hard though. It won't be bloodless and they will need external help.

maybe it's overly optimistic but i hope to see north korea and south korea reunified in my lifetime

Communism has the momentum of a revolution, but once the revolutionary spirit dies down, you now changed it from local administration having power, to a supreme entity.

They all want to get to the Party so badly why do I have a feeling that they usually regret it afterwards

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;44606157]generally tend to start eating themselves given enough time.[/QUOTE] Well that's just expected in North Korea

[QUOTE=noobcake;44606381]maybe it's overly optimistic but i hope to see north korea and south korea reunified in my lifetime[/QUOTE] That won't happen without extreme international help.

[QUOTE=noobcake;44606381]maybe it's overly optimistic but i hope to see north korea and south korea reunified in my lifetime[/QUOTE] It's way too fucked to happen. It would literally destroy South Korea with the amount of refugees where everyone would just rush over. It's not the same as German reunification, East Germany was an economic powerhouse in the Warsaw pact, it had like 1/3rd of the gdp of West Germany. But 1/3rd of the gdp is much more easy to manage than literally thousands of multiplications in the case of South Korea versus North.

[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;44606460]It's way too fucked to happen. It would literally destroy South Korea with the amount of refugees where everyone would just rush over. It's not the same as German reunification, East Germany was an economic powerhouse in the Warsaw pact, it had like 1/3rd of the gdp of West Germany. But 1/3rd of the gdp is much more easy to manage than literally thousands of multiplications in the case of South Korea versus North.[/QUOTE] It will happen. A lifetime is at worst, sixty years in the future. You really think Korea won't reunify in sixty years?

[QUOTE=noobcake;44606381]maybe it's overly optimistic but i hope to see north korea and south korea reunified in my lifetime[/QUOTE] North Korea falls. Both North and South begin reunification and become what is now known as only Korea; similar to what happened with West and East Berlin during the cold war. I can imagine this scenario as possible in the future.

I don't think I've ever been so glad at the idea of a country beginning to collapse.

I don't think instant reunification would be appropriate. The culture shock between the two sides would be pretty hard, plus the already mentioned economic disparity between the countries. Probably North Korea will become a new entity while it is prepared for reunification

[QUOTE=GreenDolphin;44606558]North Korea falls. Both North and South begin reunification and become what is now known as only Korea; similar to what happened with West and East Berlin during the cold war. I can imagine this scenario as possible in the future.[/QUOTE] The difference being the East Germany was only a single generation to two generations if you stretch it, versus four to five to six generations. Also the fact that East Germany had an economy and North Korea just doesn't. It's unfeasible and there's probably going to be a UN occupied North Korea or some country occupying it and maintaining the DMZ for at least 20 years.

I don't understand why do you guys think that this reunification is a desired thing. As far as I know, south is not really enthusiastic to unite with the north again. I could be wrong though.

[QUOTE=antianan;44606735]I don't understand why do you guys think that this reunification is a desired thing. As far as I know, south is not really enthusiastic to unite with the north again. I could be wrong though.[/QUOTE] At this point, I can see why. Imagine the sudden strain on their infrastructure as additional food, power, etc. are suddenly being supplied to a whole other country nearly as large as theirs.

THIS JUST IN PARTY LOYALTY AT ALL TIME LOW OF 110%

Can we execute Kim Jong Un when we intervene?

You'd think a country like North Korea would make the military a requirement.

Time to hire Americans to kill Americans

[QUOTE=Zero-Point;44606893]At this point, I can see why. Imagine the sudden strain on their infrastructure as additional food, power, etc. are suddenly being supplied to a whole other country nearly as large as theirs.[/QUOTE] That new market and pool of labor would be great for Korea. They would probably heavily restrict immigration to the south until things stabilize.

not to be a dick, but i work with koreans and fuck that i always get into a argument with one of them. one of them always thinks it was me that either left the freezer open or something else fucked up and its instantly my fault.

[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;44606657]The difference being the East Germany was only a single generation to two generations if you stretch it, versus four to five to six generations. Also the fact that East Germany had an economy and North Korea just doesn't. It's unfeasible and there's probably going to be a UN occupied North Korea or some country occupying it and maintaining the DMZ for at least 20 years.[/QUOTE] Not really. East Germany existed from 1945 until 1989, North Korea has been 1950 until now. That's one extra generation, really. One of the biggest differences, I feel, is the existence of West Berlin. West Berlin was a small refuge of freedom amidst a sea of communist oppression, and try as they did the Soviets couldn't stop West Berlin radio and TV from reaching over the border, allowing a dissenting opinion to the regime to be disseminated without hindrance, and letting the Easterners know there was more to be had than what the party tells them. I feel if there was a "Berlin" in the middle of North Korea, the regime would have fallen long ago.

Lose interest? I think interest is gonna be pretty high when they'll point a rifle at you for not wanting to.

[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44607870]Lose interest? I think interest is gonna be pretty high when they'll point a rifle at you for not wanting to.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Psycho9182;44607161]You'd think a country like North Korea would make the military a requirement.[/QUOTE] It says in the article that military service is being ignored because people are using bribery, connections, corruption, etc to adopt service. The benefits to joining too are declining as well, and people are serving in the military for less time.

[QUOTE=antianan;44606735]I don't understand why do you guys think that this reunification is a desired thing. As far as I know, south is not really enthusiastic to unite with the north again. I could be wrong though.[/QUOTE] id rather have the south have to be grumpy about having to put up with the north than the north be left to rot

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;44606157] Communist parties generally tend to start eating themselves given enough time.[/QUOTE] Sadly he may mean this literally, food is scarce in N.Korea

[QUOTE=WhyNott;44606439]They all want to get to the Party so badly why do I have a feeling that they usually regret it afterwards[/QUOTE] in this kind of countries, being a member of the ruling Party is usually the [I]only[/I] way to get decent food and shit. I bet very few people are actually into the Party out of genuine loyalty See: Venezuela, Cuba, etc

[QUOTE=T553412;44608219]in this kind of countries, being a member of the ruling Party is usually the [I]only[/I] way to get decent food and shit. I bet very few people are actually into the Party out of genuine loyalty See: [B]Venezuela[/B], Cuba, etc[/QUOTE] Come on, we are fucked up but not [I]that[/I] fucked up.