How does the Confucian-based family fare in Kim Jong-il's version of Korea? Can we believe that his ripping apart of the social structure can leave a blank slate upon which Christ will be allowed to write?

The following is from Seoul USA's 30 Day Prayer Manual for North Korea, Day 14, "Family."

Since communism started to reign, North Korea has built a new concept of family supported by their communist ideology and replacing the traditional idea of family. On September 1, 1946, the government abolished the traditional family registration system and, also traditional, the concept of kinship through the ‘Revolution of family' policy, claiming that they are remnants of the feudal age.

Instead the government started the citizenship system. During the 1940's, Pyongyang broke down the family-centered economic foundation through socialistic revolution policies such as abolition of private ownership of land and the inheritance system. They then made the family into a control unit of the Communist Party and as an intermediate group which promotes the achievement of tasks that the Party gives out.

In 1946 came the "law of the right of equality of genders in North Korea," by which they secured women's social-political roles and positions. This law clearly gave women the same rights as men in voting, getting jobs, receiving wages and being educated. But women in North Korea have now even more burden than before, because this law drives them to the sites of severe labor, formerly allocated to men.

Even though the equality law was established, in reality the traditional patriarchy, with husbands and sons in the center, still survives. Wives are still in a subordinated relationship to their husbands. The old traditions are so widespread that husbands still have a lot of power in the family, and in fact commonly use violence against their wives.

Many restrictions apply in NK marriages. For example, an executive member of the Party or even a candidate for Party membership cannot marry a woman whose background is not firmly based on Communist ideology. Workers whose jobs are in places like an armament factory, have trouble marrying a woman on the "outside" due to security issues involved.

The government also controls the education of each family's children. Babies whose ages are between 30 days and 36 months are left to the care of a government-sponsored day public nursery. When babies turn four years of age, they are sent to pre-school where they are educated systematically the way the government wants. All children are supposed to be raised to become devoted to communism and fascism. But actually, after all the economic difficulties, it is hard to expect people to support this program. The serious financial crisis has destroyed many families, and their love for their nation.