How have they not accidentally stumbled across media that shows them all the things their state media doesn't?
The reality is that like every other country's intelligence services, they would obviously recruit for patriotism. This question is like asking why US intelligence agents who have access to information about the DPRK beyond the propaganda don't defect to the DPRK's superior healthcare coverage, zero school shootings, and better litter management. They don't value those aspects of DPRK society which seem better, and probably don't necessarily trust that they actually are better in X specific circumstance (pretty valid!). I don't see why it would be any different for DPRK intelligence.
I can't believe you're glorifying the DPRK without mentioning that they celebrate Tax Abolition Day since eliminating it in 1974.
The USA is also great if you earn 200k/y as a software developer.
If you're a teacher, not so much.
They probably are aware. There are other means of keeping them in line, both carrot (privileges within DPRK) and stick (consequences for them and their loved ones if they step out of line.)
- They can't get to X freer country as that's just difficult for all North Koreans
- They likely can't just stop hacking for carrot and/or stick reasons. They are likely closely monitored.
- Maybe some people drink the kool-aid. I'm sure these people are very well compensated.
Imagine getting a week of solitary confinement for trying to read a Korea Times article.
The simplest explanation here is also the most cruel:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37425542
They're closely monitored where they work and often have threats against their family.
All authoritarian states will end up having a caste sysem hierarchy. The upper caste have it just as good a people in the West and in modern times they will have unfiltered access to the Internet. They have zero reason to revolt because they have everything then need.
People in the late USSR were in a similar situation. Even without necessarily knowing all the details, the average person, and certainly the intelligentsia and people working in the intelligence services, had a growing awareness of the absurdity of it all, how different the rest of the non-Communist world was, and so on. Something similar is true in China, today. A person in China who wishes to inform themselves about China's history or recent offences against human rights, can at this point, do so, and fairly easily.
But... then what? Can't talk about it. With whom would it be safe? Can't tell others what you've learned. Can't discuss your perspective.
In my view it was not the truth that destroyed e.g. the USSR. It was allowing people to organize independently of state control. That, plus truth, was fatal. Both the Chinese and North Korean ruling parties have learned that lesson. It doesn't actually matter if a significant proportion of the public knows the truth. They can know the truth, alone, in isolation, unable to act on it.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/03/asia/north-korea-hunger-famin...
If this were the case then it would not be necessary for them to shoot people trying to leave.
how much of what we think we know about our own governments is verifiably true?