Gippeumjo
Encyclopedia
The Gippeumjo is a collection of groups of approximately 2,000 women and girls between the ages of 13 and 40 (although most are believed to be between 18 and 25), which are maintained by the head of state
of North Korea
for the purpose of providing pleasure and entertainment for high-ranking Workers' Party of Korea
(WPK) officials and their families, as well as occasionally also distinguished guests.
Little is known outside North Korea about the Gippeumjo, but information has gradually emerged through the testimony of North Koreans who have defected
.
, with the first group being recruited by Lee Dong Ho, the First Vice Director of the Department of United Front of the WPK, for the purpose of entertaining Kim at the Munsu Chodaeso (문수 초대소; Munsu Guesthouse). The recruiting and training of Gippeumjo are currently administered by the Fifth Department of Staff of the Organic Direction of the Party and continues to be maintained by his son, Kim Jong-il
.
Girls from throughout the country are recruited to be Gippeumjo members according to government criteria (one of which is that they must be virgins
). After being selected, they undergo a rigorous training period, with some Haengbokjo members being sent overseas for massage training. Gippeumjo members typically leave at age 22 or 25, at which time they are often married to other members of North Korea's elite, and their former membership in the Gippeumjo is kept secret.
word meaning joy or happiness. The suffix jo (組) is a Sino-Korean word which describes a group of people. Kim Il-sung is believed to have established this corps of women in the belief that having sexual relations with young women would have the effect of enhancing his life force, or gi
(hangul: ; hanja: ; no relation to the gi in gippeum).
Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea
The Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea is the supreme commander of the armed forces of North Korea and the most powerful person in the government...
of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
for the purpose of providing pleasure and entertainment for high-ranking Workers' Party of Korea
Workers' Party of Korea
The Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling Communist party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. It is also called the Korean Workers' Party...
(WPK) officials and their families, as well as occasionally also distinguished guests.
Little is known outside North Korea about the Gippeumjo, but information has gradually emerged through the testimony of North Koreans who have defected
North Korean defectors
A number of individuals have defected from North Korea. Since the division of Korea after World War II and the end of the Korean War , many people have defected from North Korea, mainly for political, ideological, religious and economic reasons...
.
History
The Gippeumjo was established in 1978, during the administration of Kim Il-sungKim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
, with the first group being recruited by Lee Dong Ho, the First Vice Director of the Department of United Front of the WPK, for the purpose of entertaining Kim at the Munsu Chodaeso (문수 초대소; Munsu Guesthouse). The recruiting and training of Gippeumjo are currently administered by the Fifth Department of Staff of the Organic Direction of the Party and continues to be maintained by his son, Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
.
Structure
Each pleasure group is composed of three teams:- Manjokjo (hangul: ; hanja: ) – a satisfaction team (which provides sexual services)
- Haengbokjo (hangul: ; hanja: ) – a happiness team (which provides massageMassageMassage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
s) - Gamujo (hangul: ; hanja: ) – a dancing and singing team (whose members are sometimes asked to dance semi-nudeStripteaseA striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
)
Girls from throughout the country are recruited to be Gippeumjo members according to government criteria (one of which is that they must be virgins
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
). After being selected, they undergo a rigorous training period, with some Haengbokjo members being sent overseas for massage training. Gippeumjo members typically leave at age 22 or 25, at which time they are often married to other members of North Korea's elite, and their former membership in the Gippeumjo is kept secret.
Etymology
The first two syllables of the name, gippeum, is a native KoreanKorean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
word meaning joy or happiness. The suffix jo (組) is a Sino-Korean word which describes a group of people. Kim Il-sung is believed to have established this corps of women in the belief that having sexual relations with young women would have the effect of enhancing his life force, or gi
Qi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
(hangul: ; hanja: ; no relation to the gi in gippeum).
External links
- "Dirty Details", by Bryan Walsh, from TIME magazine, July 14, 2003
- "The Dear Leader Unmasked"