What North Koreans do in their free time under totalitarian regime

A rare insight has been provided into what North Koreans do in their leisure time and what it is like to live in the totalitarian state.

Defectors and South Korean media reports often suggest the majority of young people in North Korea are struggling for food and forced to drop out of school to enter the workforce.

Those from wealthier backgrounds however are apparently rollerblading in their spare time, going to the gym and drinking at bars with the opposite sex.

However, drinking with friends is often overshadowed by the fear of talking about the regime, going to the cinema is blighted by having to watch one film six times because nothing else is showing and playing video games is confined to Mario Kart played on 80s consoles.

Anna Fifield, a reporter for The Washington Post who has covered national affairs in North Korea for a decade, took part in a question and answer session on Reddit.

She has visited the country a dozen times and has also interviewed Kim Jong-un's aunt and uncle, who currently live in the United States.

Ms Fifield said not much has changed in the country since he took charge.

“Life in North Korea is changing and so are people’s reasons for escaping,” Ms Fifield said. “When Kim Jong-un became leader, many North Koreans thought that life would improve. But after six years in power, the ‘Great Successor’ has proved to be just as brutal as past leaders.”

Mr Kim is the third supreme leader in the Kim dynasty, founded by his grandfather Kim il-Sung.

He took over from his father Kim Jong-il when he died from a heart attack in December 2011 and has demonstrated he is committed to the pursuit of nuclear weapons.