A Korean newspaper has likened an all singing all dancing North Korean girl troupe with pop sensation Girls Generation - claiming the troupe’s role is to uplift the moral of soldiers just like GG did last Christmas. Netizens were quick to go on the defensive to criticise what they claimed was a pro-North Korean article for publishing pictures of the girl troupe of girlie troops.

The below image is of the ‘regular troupe’ [i.e. not the sexy ones, in case you were wondering], the rest are from the ‘special troupe’.

‘Girls Generation’ are the so-called ‘Goddesses’ of the ROK Army. In North Korea however, they have not a ‘girl group’ but a ‘girl troupe’ of the same level as ‘Girls Generation’.

North Korea news specialist New Focus introduced on the 25th of this month the morale-boosting beauty troop for the [North Korean] army.

New Focus said that while in South Korea celebrities visit military troops to boost their morale, in North Korea the ‘People’s Army Troupe’ lend their hand in uplifting the soldiers’ spirits. The troupe, mainly composed of women, is divided into two parts, one for ordinary soldiers, and another ‘special’ one for international propaganda.

The ‘regular troupe’ only possess costumes, with pleasantly simple outward appearances wearing no make-up and with moderately titillating roles, while on the other hand the ‘special troupe’, which is specifically selected for international propaganda, is equipped with outstanding beauty queens, colourful costumes and make-up mastery. The ‘special troupe’ belongs to a privileged class of different social status from regular soldiers.

The ‘special troupe’ has been assigned to provide entertainment not only for soldiers but also the privileged class, and even been mobilised on the international stage such as at the Busan Asian Games.

However, New Focus also noted that North Korean soliders actually get a lot more pleasure out of meat and alcohol rations that can appease their hunger rather than through the entertainment provided by this kind of troupe.