Bribery Scandal Clouds University Admissions in North Korea
As high school seniors across North Korea prepare to apply for university, bribery in the admissions process is again drawing public attention. Powerful party officials reportedly accept payments to allocate more university slots to favored schools, leaving many rural students without a chance to apply.
A source in North Hamgyong province told Daily NK that the Ministry of Education recently finalized the number of students each high school nationwide can send to universities.
Centralized and Unequal Admissions System
Unlike in South Korea—where students apply based on exam scores or academic performance—North Korea’s Ministry of Education controls every stage of the process. Each year, the ministry decides how many students will be admitted to every university and from which high schools.
This top-down system means students cannot freely choose their desired institution or major. The ministry’s directives flow from central authorities to provincial education bureaus, then to municipal and county offices, and finally to individual schools.
Limited Slots, Rising Pressure
High school seniors can only apply to universities for which their school has been granted admission slots. Because these allocations remain secret, families compete to obtain inside information, sparking what locals call an “information war.”
The source explained that ordinary high schools rarely receive slots for elite institutions controlled by the ruling Central Committee. To secure spots at provincial universities, schools often pay bribes to influential officials—such as senior secretaries in municipal or county party committees.
This practice not only disadvantages students from less connected backgrounds but also deepens inequality in access to higher education.
