North Korean universities shut down - students sent to work

• BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2011-07-02 06:55

  Pyongyang - Students are being sent to work in farms, construction projects and factories after the government of North Korea shut down the country's universities for ten months to stimulate the economy, but analysts are saying that's not the real reason.
  
  With the 100th anniversary of the country's leader, Kim Il-sung, as well as the 70th birthday of current leader Kim Jong-il approaching next year, the government is telling its people that 2012 will mark the year that they reach their goal of becoming "a great, prosperous and powerful nation."
  
  Reports from South Korea say that students were sent home on Monday, and will not be able to return to classes until April 2012. In an effort to stimulate the economy, the students will be sent to work on construction projects in major cities like the capital Pyongyang. Some will also be sent to agricultural regions affected by a recent typhoon to help in repair efforts.
  
  Students who are due to graduate in the next few months, as well as foreign students, are exempt to this decision.
  However, some analysts from Japan are saying that the real reason students are being sent to work is not for economic reasons, but to protect the government.
  
  "One reason is that there is a possibility of demonstrations at university campuses," said Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyo's Waseda University to the Telegraph. "The leadership has seen the 'Jasmine Revolution' in Africa and it is very frightened that the same thing could happen in North Korea...they fear it could start in the universities."
  
  In recent months, North Korea has purchased large amounts of anti-riot equipment from China, possibly preparing for civil unrest. The Yonhap news agency from South Korea cities an unnamed source who says that tear gas, helmets, and shields were purchased from traders in Shenyang, in north-eastern China.
  It has also been reported that Pyongyang censored any information about the recent government uprisings in the Middle East and Africa from reaching its populace.
  
  The country has been affected by a food shortage in recent months, which has seen even members of the military left without food. The capital was also recently locked down for three days after anti-government graffiti was found on a wall of the Pyongyang Railroad College.

  
  
  http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/308601
  
  never really expected there to be foreign students in a North Korean university...
• Shirayuki wrote on 2011-07-02 07:00
  I had no idea there would be foreign students in n. korea either.
• Oizen wrote on 2011-07-02 07:29
  Oh North Korea, why is there so much wrong with you?
• Conor wrote on 2011-07-02 07:31

  Quote from Shirayuki;497495:

  I had no idea there would be foreign students in n. korea either.

  
  
  This 10000000%
• Kollin wrote on 2011-07-02 08:15
  oh, silly north korea.
• Nintega wrote on 2011-07-02 12:12
  North Korea should do what South Korea did: make awesome free-2-play video games. It seemed to work well for the South.
• Sayoko wrote on 2011-07-02 12:20

  Quote from Nintega;497642:

  North Korea should do what South Korea did: make awesome free-2-play video games. It seemed to work well for the South.

  
  
  That was their main plan for stimulating the economy. Except then NK realized 99.999% of its population neither owns a computer nor has the internet.
• BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2011-07-02 13:00

  Quote from Nintega;497642:

  North Korea should do what South Korea did: make awesome free-2-play video games. It seemed to work well for the South.

  
  
  that would be great if there weren't 7+ million people at risk of starvation deaths
• TA wrote on 2011-07-02 13:29
  Well, there is always that one thing that they could do...
• BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2011-07-02 20:56

  Quote from TA;497683:

  Well, there is always that one thing that they could do...

  
  
  but no food = no feces
• Lan wrote on 2011-07-03 00:11
  I didn't even know North Korea had universities...oh how ignorant I am :<
• Claudia wrote on 2011-07-03 00:27
  Yeah, i'm having a hard time getting over the initial shock that there are foreign students in NK.
  
  But i'm going to assume most of them are Chinese, eh? Or, countries that North Korea has semi-diplomatic ties to.
• Mama wrote on 2011-07-03 00:45
  what communist countries maintain good relations with north korea anyways? Cuba?
  
  I guess that's where the foreign students come from. I remember reading a story where a russian exchange student found out about NK's Linux.
• Misaka wrote on 2011-07-03 02:36
  I wouldn't be surprised if by the next generation North Korea doesn't exist as a country anymore.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-07-03 02:53

  Quote from Mama;498311:

  what communist countries maintain good relations with north korea anyways? Cuba?
  
  I guess that's where the foreign students come from. I remember reading a story where a russian exchange student found out about NK's Linux.

  
  
  NK is supplying Iran with weapons. NK's primary export is metals afterall.
  And NK is still "allied" with China. More importantly, NK is always giving up parts of their northern territory to China, which is pissing off a lot of South Koreans.
  
  South Koreans literally view Korea's existence as a whole and refuse to admit that North Korea is in fact a separate country. They believe that one day they can once again be unified.
  
  When showing pictures of Korea, they'll always show North Korea together. Therefore they believe North Korea is theirs, which really makes them boil when North Korea gives away territory to China, which South Koreans believe to be enemy number 2 (with Japan being enemy number one).