Women forced into military service face increasing sexual abuse
Many young women in North Korea are enlisted in the army after middle school, where they are exposed to power-based sexual harassment and violence, with little protection in place (Image: Chintung Lee, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc., edited with Canva)
After graduating from middle school in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province in 2019, Kwon (not her real name) enlisted in the Korean People’s Army, determined to complete the mandatory five years of military service and qualify for membership in the Workers’ Party. But her dreams of progress were dashed when she was discharged one year early for “poor conduct.”
Here is her story, as told to us last week in a phone interview with a neighbor.
Kwon had been assigned to a mixed unit of men and women at a base on the coast in Gangwon Province in the southeast part of the country.
From her first day, she caught the attention of her company commander, which made her life in the military easier in many ways. The senior officer assigned her to a less demanding position where she was responsible for communications. This meant she was often exempted from night guard duty.
Kwon became increasingly dependent on the commander’s favors. However, his support came at a cost. Frequent interactions between the commander and the young soldier, including handling paperwork and personal errands at night, eventually led to a sexual relationship.
Kwon apparently lacked the emotional and intellectual maturity to deal with her situation. With limited access to contraception or proper medical care, she became pregnant. When her condition was discovered at five months, the commander was transferred to another unit and Kwon was discharged.
After returning home, Kwon had an abortion, but the procedure went poorly, the source told us, leaving her now unable to have children.
Not only is Kwon unable to become a mother. But she was unable to achieve that most sought-after goal for female soldiers – party membership – and now bears the stigma of a bad conduct discharge.
Her story raises two broader issues. One concerns the absence of regulations in the military covering sexual violence and other crimes on bases. There is no proper counseling for victims, punishment of perpetrators, or mechanism to introduce measures to prevent recurrence.
There is also an unwritten rule, common to the military elsewhere, of not exposing incidents to the civilian authorities or the public. Military officers who commit sexual crimes can escape punishment through bribes and behind-the-scenes deals. The net effect is that sexual violence and corruption flourish.
Women forced to serve in the military
The second issue is that the conscription of women is increasing, which means the type of abuse Kwon experienced will certainly become more extensive.
The context for female conscription is the declining population. North Korea has the world’s highest concentration of active duty soldiers, as well as of reserves, vis-a-vis its population, but instead of adjusting to the population change, the military is maintaining its numbers by requiring women to serve.
Historically, only men had to do military service. Women were allowed to enlist voluntarily. In 2015, a new system was implemented, requiring women to serve seven years (until the age of 26), similar to men who are required to serve for 10 years (until the age of 30). This obligation for women was abolished the following year and later reinstated. Our sources tell us that this policy has flip-flopped so frequently that citizens are unsure of when exactly the system was abolished and reinstated.
In the past, sources say, it was easier for women to obtain exemptions for reasons such as menstrual pain and bleeding. Families with means could bribe doctors to provide the necessary documentation.
This year, however, the conscription of female middle school graduates is being carried out with unprecedented rigor. Those who fail the initial examination are given medical treatment. Patients who cannot be treated at military hospitals are sent to city or provincial hospitals for further tests and treatment. As a result, families have to grease the wheels at multiple levels, including city and provincial hospitals. For many, this is just not possible.
Parent fit their daughters with vaginal rings
Faced with the inevitability of their daughters’ conscription, parents have shifted their focus to ensuring that they are placed in units where they can avoid malnutrition and, more importantly, trying to minimize the risk of sexual assault.
Many parents, it appears, are fitting their daughters with vaginal rings. With condoms illegal and birth control pills expensive and difficult to obtain, intrauterine devices are the cheapest option. IUDs cost between 3,000 and 6,000 won ($0.20 to $0.40). Those who can’t afford the procedure may pay doctors in corn (1 to 2 kilograms).
Thus young women reporting for duty at army bases all over the country to learn how to fight and defend their country from hostile forces are turning up armed to resist the enemy within.
Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture.
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