The summer has brought heightened demand for cosmetic surgery procedures in North Korea, with young women hurrying to complete both surgery and recovery processes in advance of the new university semester. This recent trend toward cosmetic surgery is reflective of important new cultural norms in the country.

“The demand on women

to look beautiful is much stronger than it used to be,” a source in Yangkang Province told Daily NK on August 13th. “Blepharoplasty [commonly known as ‘double-eyelid

surgery,’ a very common procedure in South Korea] and cosmetic tattooing on the

eyes and lips are all getting more popular these days.”

Micropigmentation, or cosmetic tattooing, is a hassle-free alternative to applying eyebrow pencil, eyeliner or lip

liner every day. People with faint or partial eyebrows pay for permanent makeup, while others pay to convey the appearance of fuller eyelashes or tinted lips. The price for eyelid surgery is

18,000-20,000 KPW; micropigmentation procedures range

from 24,000-25,000 KPW, the exception being lip pigmentation, which costs in the

region of 18,000 KPW.

Nearly “one in five

university students will have a cosmetic surgery procedure at some point,”

the source predicted, adding that this is contributing to rising prices. She went on to

confirm that minor cosmetic surgical procedures are most common for women in their 20s.

This is because young women are particularly

sensitive to the changing times, she said. The choice to go for cosmetic surgery is born of incentives as much as anything else: after all, as previously reported by the Daily NK, beauty is a major determinant in the selection of women to work abroad, a chance that many strive for.

“They aren’t embarrassed

to have cosmetic procedures done,” she asserted. “If the change is blatant they may feel a bit sheepish,

but they don’t hide it if they’ve had a simple procedure like eyelid surgery

or lip pigmentation.”

“The notion that ‘beauty brings

success’ rings true here, and women understand it better than anyone,” she added. “The

basic sentiment among people wanting to get surgery is that if they can get a

better future from it then it makes sense to get it done.”

The average recovery

time for a simple procedure is around two weeks. Since university students

cannot forfeit time away from their studies for a prolonged period, the summer

is a period of high demand. North Korea’s harsh winters, combined with persistent

heating fuel shortages, may result in swelling and infection, adding to the

pressure on physicians during the summer months.

Technically, cosmetic

surgery remains illegal under North Korean law. However, like many other of the country’s statutes, it goes on without impediment. “I’ve never heard of

anyone running into trouble because of eyelid surgery or permanent makeup

procedures,’ she said, adding that such operations are openly offered at

state-run hospitals and clinics.

However, citing costs,

“Most people get the procedures done in their own homes,” she said. “There are

licensed physicians who make house calls to perform these procedures, but the majority

are individuals who have picked up the skills themselves.” There is testimony

suggesting that this results in no small number of botched surgeries and

infections due to unsanitary conditions.

The Kim Jong Eun era emphasis

on youthfulness and appearance has contributed much to the trend,

with Kim’s wife Ri Sol Ju implicitly setting the standard for what is permissible. For instance, bans on women wearing pants and stringent regulations on skinny jeans have both

eased considerably since Kim came to power in late 2011. Accessories previously

listed as “anti-socialist” and representative of dangerous “capitalist winds”

have also made their way to the remotest areas of the country, while women in the capital have

developed a predilection for higher heels.

“People figure that if the Marshal’s wife is going to dress so fabulously then they aren’t going to crack down strongly on clothing for anyone else,” the source said. “Party officials were

the first to follow the Ri Sol Ju style, and now it has trickled down to most residents.”

“The idea of there

being some kind of ‘ideal Chosun woman’ with her bobbed hair, no makeup and skirt

down to the ankle is a complete thing of the past,” she concluded. “Spending

money on self-beautification is a fast growing concept.”