“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years.

Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing [email protected] and including their first name and city of residence.

Today’s question asks about what North Korean students do during vacations from school.

Jin — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until she defected in 2014 — writes about the difference between summer and winter breaks, why students can’t really relax and the often filthy work that