North Korea shuts down universities for 10 months

telegraph.co.uk ^ | 6-29-11 | Julian Ryall

[Justaham]

North Korea has shut down its universities for the next 10 months and sent students to work in factories, agriculture and the construction sector as it struggles to rebuild its economy.

Pyongyang has told the North Korean people that the nation will have achieved its aim of becoming "a great, prosperous and powerful nation" in 2012, which marks the 100th anniversary of the founder of the reclusive state, Kim Il-sung.

In addition, Kim Jong-il will turn 70 in February and the "Dear Leader" hopes to be able to transfer his power and an economically stronger nation to his son and heir-apparent, Kim Jong-Un.

Reports in South Korea indicated that the government in Pyongyang on Monday ordered all universities to cancel classes until April of next year. The only exemptions are for students who will be graduating in the next few months and foreign students.

The reports suggested that the students will be put to work on construction projects in major cities while there are also indications that repair work may be needed in agricultural regions that were affected by a major typhoon recently.

Analysts in Japan claim there may be other reasons behind the decision to disperse the students across the country.

[Twotone]

Frankly, I wish we could do this. :-)

[Tax-chick]

to work in factories, agriculture and the construction sector

Do the factories and construction sector have raw materials? They didn't in the 90s: "workers" just hung around, hoping food would be delivered since they were in their assigned positions.

Are there seeds for agriculture? Fertilizer? Or do they mean "students" are out in the hills or in empty lots combing the undergrowth for edible weeds?

[Spok]

Until North Korea acquires the nerve to kick all the communist scum into their graves, they’ll continue to starve.

[RJS1950]

Sounds similar to what their friends the Chinese did with the Cultural Revolution except this will probably end up being closer to what the Kmer Rouge did in Cambodia. When your population is starving and the army is near rebellion setting up “Killing Fields” is a quick solution to cull the herd and thus the demand on resources while still extracting some more slave labor from them.

It’s easy to see why our democrat party admires them.

[CalinectesSapidus]

The only exemptions are for students who will be graduating in the next few months and foreign students.

I just have to wonder how many foreign students they have and from where.