25) A photo of smiling North Korean female soldiers

The large population of soldiers in North Korea may come off similar to the old film reels from Nazi Germany or Stalin’s Russia but the presence of so many squadrons of female soldiers makes its army fascinating, The Daily Mail described. Defectors suggest that the army is about 40% made up of women; that is close to half a million women in service.

26) Another photo op of North Korean female soldiers

Beneath the smiles and tough faces of these female soldiers, North Korea defectors revealed to Korea Times that most of them are raped by their superiors. They undergo a physical aptitude test for military recruits that include a “virginity test”. Male officers examine females to check if they have had sexual intercourse. If their hymen is no longer there, the state does not accept them in the military.