The Dictator’s Classroom: Where Kim Jong is Worshipped, Studied, and Praised for Loyalty

International News: Once again, a disturbing truth has emerged from the tightly controlled world of North Korea. Bella Seo, a 23-year-old who escaped from the country, has revealed the harsh and disturbing conditions inside its schools. According to her, North Korean schools are less about education and more about ideological indoctrination, where students are forced to worship the ruling Kim family.

Bella shared that students attend seven periods a day, out of which two or three are solely dedicated to studying the “revolutionary biography” of Kim Jong-un and his ancestors. Regardless of how good a student may be in subjects like math or science, their evaluations are based entirely on their knowledge of the Kim family. Every school day begins with students cleaning portraits of the Kims and singing songs of loyalty.

Forced Labor After School Hours

The struggle doesn’t end with the school bell. In fact, that’s when the real hardship begins. Bella explained that students are assigned difficult manual labor tasks like leveling school grounds, which can last for three to four hours a day. They are often made to carry sacks filled with sand and stones, each weighing around 25 kilograms. Even during harsh winters, students are forced to clear snow before the school day starts. In her hometown of Hyesan, Bella recalls, there are an average of 63 snowy days per year — yet school children are expected to perform such tasks regardless of freezing conditions.

The Myth of Free Education

While North Korea promotes itself as a country offering free education, the ground reality tells a different story. Bella revealed that students are frequently required to contribute money for “youth projects,” school events, and even for teachers’ birthdays and their family functions. This financial burden often forces parents to cut back on basic needs like food just to keep their children in school. According to Bella, what is passed off as education in North Korea is nothing more than forced loyalty and unpaid labor. The future of the children, she says, is shaped not by learning or personal growth, but by how well they serve and obey the regime of Kim Jong-un.