North Koreans, male and female, young and old, are required to take physical strength tests once a year conducted in August and September. This year people marked the commencement of the tests in ceremonies held simultaneously in provinces or special cities under the direct jurisdiction of the central government, cities or districts and counties on August 1.

The examination of physical strength is an annual national event conducted ever since the inauguration of the North Korean government in 1948 under the sponsorship of the Sports Guidance Committee of the Administration Council (the cabinet), the Education Ministry and worker organizations. Subject to the test are males aged between 9-60 and females from 9-55. Until 1992 the ages ranged from 9-50 for men and 9-40 for women, but were expanded to the current ones after an instruction given by National Defense Commission chairman Kim Jong Il. All citizens falling under the age groups, excepting patients, those on business trips overseas and deep-sea fishermen, are required to take the annual test.

The tests are conducted by administrative agencies, plants, business establishments and schools and people undergo them by grades and subjects in teams formed by sex and age, with about a dozen kinds of physical exercises being tested. Among them are the 100m dash, long distance running, 400m hurdle running, high jump, broad jump, swimming, 8km walk, chin-ups (males), arm stretching (females), rope or pole climbing, grenade throwing, parallel bars, taekwondo and mass rhythmic gymnastics.

Long running distance is 1,500m for men and 800m for women. Chin-ups and rope climbing are for men, while arm stretching and pole climbing are for women. Mass rhythmic gymnastics and taekwondo are done in groups; the former being an aerobic exercise that began to be popularized in the North in 1998, and the latter a physical exercise adopting basic taekwondo techniques.

There are seven grades: 5th and 6th senior middle school grades, ages 17-20, 21-25, 26-30, 31-35 and 36-40. Those who belong outside the age groups take tests, but their success or failure is not recorded.

To pass in 100m dash, 5th male senior middle school graders have to run in 16.5 seconds, and females in 17.5 seconds. To qualify in the 100m dash, men aged 36-40 have to run in 16 seconds and women in 19 seconds. To pass the swimming test, 5th male senior middle school graders should swim 75m, 6th male senior middle school graders and men up to 35 years of age 100m, females aged up to 35, 50m, and females aged 36-40 25m.

Those disqualified in the test are required to undergo re-testing individually or in group.

Participation rate in and effects of the physical strength tests are not as high as expected by the authorities, say North Koreans who have escaped to the South. Only students and young people take the tests strictly and ordinary citizens do so merely in form. Such a trend is conspicuous particularly since 1996 when food shortages increased, according to the North Korean refugees.

(Kim Kwan In, kki@chosun.com )