Parents bribe officials to send their sons to cushy posts in Pyongyang for their military service.
North Korea is estimated to have a mandatory 7 years of military service where the government mobilizes soldiers to work on farms, factories, and construction sites for free. However, some military tasks in Pyongyang are considered luxury as they are undemanding and comfortable, mostly afforded by wealthy people.
Nowadays, parents are willing to bribe officials to ensure a comfortable service for their sons instead of labor in rural areas. But officials are asking for large amounts far away to afford.
Officials are asking for at least US $300 while the average salary for a government working man is around US $4.
Citizens are complaining as there is no way to stop or punish officials accepting or asking for bribes.
[Source: RFA]
