The most prestigious careers are party, military, diplomatic and academic placements, and the likelihood of getting one of these depends on having good songbun and being well connected.Without these you may as well give up. For instance, if your grandfather was a professor at a Japanese university or a communist from a non-Kim Il-sung faction you can forget about building a reputable career.
Workers are also supposed to receive food rations through the Public Distribution System (PDS), but chronic shortages and mismanagement mean that rations are often irregular or insufficient. In rural and industrial areas, workers frequently depend on small gardens, trading, or bartering to supplement their diets. Conditions for workers vary widely depending on the sector.
