North Korea, which has a free education system, recently opened a charged foreign language class, Radio Free Asia reported.
Radio Free Asias source in North Korea stated that English and Chinese classes have opened in the Grand People's Study House at the cost of $50 a month. The source added that many workers in the central agency and trade business are attending the English class. Children of the privileged class are attending as well. However, the whole course lasts six months and costs almost $300, so general citizens are unable to attend the class due to the high fee.
People are complaining that charged language education is only for the privileged class, since general people cannot afford it. Also, the source emphasized that the authorities might have opened a charged class for the purpose of personal gain.