Can a foreigner marry a North Korean girl? (20 photos)

In North Korea, marriage is considered not just desirable, but an obligatory event in the life of every person, regardless of gender. In the continuation of the post, you will find out whether it is realistic to marry a girl from North Korea.





In North Korea, like in any other Asian country, kinship ties and family values are very strong. For North Koreans, family is the foundation on which their whole life is based; a link that holds together not only the members of one family, but also society as a whole, and, of course, the highest value in life... of course, after their supreme leader.



Therefore, North Korean citizens approach the creation of a family with all responsibility, because they choose not just a spouse, a partner with whom they will go through life and continue the family line, but also, in a way, a colleague to work together for the benefit of the country and its leadership.





Actually, it is largely for this reason that most marriages in North Korea are devoid of any romantic overtones, but have exclusively practical reasons. And the existing ideology in the country, it must be admitted, contributes to this in every possible way.



For decades, North Koreans have been told about the wisdom and kindness of Kim Il Sung, about his generosity towards orphans - the sons and daughters of heroes of the guerrilla resistance or the Korean War who died in battle. These stories, as a rule, told how Kim Il Sung, and later his son Kim Jong Il, having learned about the unenviable fate of the orphan, immediately arranged his personal life and found him a couple from a family with an impeccable revolutionary heritage.



Monuments to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il

It is clear that such stories could hardly impress a foreign layman, but they were not intended for him. Stories about what an ideal North Korean family should be like are addressed primarily to the older generation, which today, like many years ago, is of the opinion that the search for an ideal partner for their child lies entirely on the shoulders of the parents, and only they are responsible for what the young family will end up like.



As in Japan, China, South Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries where no marriage takes place without parental approval, in North Korea the word of elders also carries enormous weight, since finding a suitable partner for one's child is an important responsibility of any parent in the DPRK . This is what Kim Il Sung bequeathed.



Until the 70-80s of the last century, most marriages or chunme (arranged marriage) in North Korea were concluded solely by the decision of elders - and not only parents, but also bosses were involved in choosing a suitable marriage partner.



In modern North Korea, marriage has a slightly different concept or yone, when young people make the decision to start a family independently without mediation in the form of parents or leaders. This type of marriage, in principle, can be called a “marriage for love,” but it has nothing to do with strong feelings. Just at one fine moment, two lonely people meet and decide that it’s time for them to start a family.



It is important to take into account the fact that marriage in North Korea is a prerequisite. The ideology of the DPRK has done its job by forming a strong belief in the minds of citizens that every North Korean should start a family upon reaching a certain age.



And, if previously the age of 20-25 years was considered desirable for concluding a marriage, today this figure has changed somewhat. The situation is considered absolutely normal in the DPRK when a man gets married some time after returning from the army, where he spends ten years. At this point, a Korean man reaches the ageshe is 30 years old and is looking for a wife a couple of years younger.



But the optimal age is not everything. The ideal wife should be modest, well-mannered, hardworking; be able to manage a household and cook well. There is nothing new here, since in North Korea over the years, social roles in the family have remained virtually unchanged: the man is still the breadwinner, and the woman is the keeper of the hearth. However, who do Korean women themselves want to see next to them? At one time, their preferences leaned in favor of party workers and officers. It is clear that a good reputation and a stable position are important in North Korean society.



Then the eyes of the young ladies from the DPRK turned to diplomats, foreign trade workers and sailors - in other words, all those who had constant access to foreign currency. Well, in the hungry 90s, the social status of men was no longer as important as whether he had money. Therefore, ideal husbands were considered to be figures in the black or, rather, “gray” market - in other words, successful entrepreneurs who were able to earn their “penny” in any case. And, of course, they all had to be Koreans - more precisely, citizens of the DPRK.



By the way, this principle regarding nationality still works in North Korea today, as, indeed, in any other country in the world. Agree, marriage with a foreigner is almost always a long process of recognition and adjustment, mainly associated with differences in mentalities and traditional values. And, it must be admitted that many international couples, even after several years, still fail to find a common denominator in family relationships. What can we say about North Korean citizens with their very special views on both family and life in general.



And here it is important to note that in general, marriages between North Korean girls and foreign young men are not prohibited in the DPRK. The state does not prohibit such a procedure. It’s just that a foreign prince must understand that when he marries a North Korean citizen, he will have to take her to his homeland - the newly-made family will not be able to stay in the DPRK. Moreover, he will have to take upon himself all the worries of integrating his wife into a completely new and unknown society for her. And this is where the first problems may begin...



Having been brought up all their lives under the pressure of North Korean ideology and living under the dictation of the supreme leader, finding themselves in a different, freer and more democratic society, not all girls from North Korea are able to accept the new rules of life. And the point is not that they are bad, but rather unusual.



In a completely new foreign society, where you need to think with your own head, make decisions on your own, and also, perhaps, make a certain contribution to the family budget, it is indeed not easy to live.



It’s another matter when the state provides you with everything you need, and you manage your own household, look after your husband and babysit your children. Everything is simple and clear, and there is no uncertainty! This is why Korean women, although they dream of a foreign prince and a better life, most often give preference to their compatriots... because it’s easier.



Oh yes...also parents. Despite the fact that the majority of representatives of the older generation of North Korean citizens, in principle, are not against their daughters marrying foreigners and going to live abroad, most often they still try to dissuade them from such decisions. The fact is that in North Korea, elderly parents, just like in Japan and China, are almost entirely dependent on their children, and their departure to another city, and even more so to another country, is a tangible blow to financial and moral side of the issue.



It seems like a girl leaves her parents to their fate in order to enjoy life somewhere, say, in Europe. This is such a... very subtle point from the point of view of Asian morality in general and Korean morality in particular. And thereforeincluding Korean women, they very rarely decide to marry foreigners, which, I repeat, are not something undesirable or prohibited even in such a closed country as North Korea.