A North Korean defector has revealed that dictator Kim Jong-un annually selects 25 virgin girls to join his 'Pleasure Squad', a practice inherited from his father and grandfather. Yeonmi Park, who was twice considered for the group, detailed the selection process, which prioritises looks and political loyalty.
Park explained that officials visit schools to identify pretty girls, then scrutinise their family background, eliminating those with relatives who have defected or live abroad. Successful candidates undergo a medical examination to confirm virginity, followed by a rigorous check where even minor scars can lead to disqualification.
The tradition began in the 1970s when Kim Jong-il created a 'pleasure squad' for his father, Kim Il-sung, hoping to secure his succession. Kim Jong-il later formed his own 'Joy Division' in 1983. Each leader had different preferences: Kim Il-sung favoured round-faced women, Kim Jong-il preferred those over 160cm tall, and Kim Jong-un selects slender, western-looking women.
The squad is divided into three groups: one trained in massage, another in song and dance (sometimes performing as the Moranbong band), and a third for sexual activities. The most attractive serve Kim Jong-un, while others are assigned to lower-ranking officials. Parents often consent, seeing it as a way to ensure their daughters avoid starvation.
Members are retired in their mid-twenties and typically married to the leader's bodyguards. Park, who has faced scepticism over her accounts, described the Kim family as 'paedophiles who expect to be worshipped as gods'.
