North Korea or Saudi Arabia: which is more oppressive?

[Tooting Carmen]

Though the North Korean state is rather more murderous, what with all its gulags, and allows practically no access to foreign media or goods whatsoever, its rules and regulations regarding sex and dress don't seem quite as rigorous as in Saudi Arabia; nor do they have stonings and amputations (though there are certainly lots of executions that use other methods). Therefore, I'd argue both are equally oppressive, when all things are balanced out.

[Kiyant]

Both are crap

[Dandelion]

Both suck. North Korea is maybe a little worse by a slight margin. People can't leave the country, unlike in Saudi Arabia. However, some people are also trapped in Saudi Arabia, like housemaids from poor countries for instance (the relative factor plays a role on individual basis). You better not be a woman in Saudi Arabia. Also, in North Korea there is no gender segregation and North Koreans are able to date before marriage. So North Korea isn't worse at all fronts, it's just the fact it's more of a prison that makes it just a little worse.

Theocracy is worse than communism. If it was a poll between Saudi and the Soviet Union, then the (Post-Stalin) Soviet Union would have been far less worse. Obviously. North Korea however is one of the worst regimes.

[Not a Cop]

North Korea obviously, Saudis are rich atleast, and money is freedom.

[Farah]

North Korea by far, despite how oppressive both are..but North Korea is fully and absolutely totalitarian socially, politically and economically. In Saudi Arabia, there are sub-communities that managed to still emerge and live normally and freely despite strict law. People come and go, mingle, travel, work in various fields. Hundreds of thousands of foreigners live there to work. There are cities I hear are more liberal than others and people generally live prosperous lives. Sadly this does not exist in North Korea although in recent years they have allowed for South Korea to build factory compounds and employ North Koreans, so it's kind of a mini-capitalist "exception" in the closed state.

North Korea does have a dress/hair code that needs to be compliant with the state image.

Edit: Danielion raises a good point - not all foreigners are prosperous ofcourse, only Western and certain Arab ones. Other 'unfavorable' nationalities are treated with terrible racism. And ofcourse the total lack of women's freedom. Still I think it is scarier to live in NK than Saudi Arabia

[Dandelion]

North Korea obviously, Saudis are rich atleast, and money is freedom.

If you're an oil sheikh. A high-ranked Soviet Party official also could have a pretty exuberant lifestyle and so do the Kims. I do get your point though.
A normal middle class Saudi also has a decent income too.

[Not a Cop]

If you're an oil sheikh. A high-ranked Soviet Party official also could have a pretty exuberant lifestyle and so do the Kims. I do get your point though.
A normal middle class Saudi also has a decent income too.

Well i don't think that officials can have anything near to sheikhs luxury level, although you seem to get the point, the 1991 revolution wasn't revolution of free-speech or revolution on non-corrupt elections as some think, it was a revolution of consumer goods.

[Siberian Cold Breeze]

Military state is better than theocratic rule .

[Dandelion]

Still, North Korea is a whole other degree of military dictatorship. 1980 Turkey under the military rule was very soft compared to them.

[gültekin]

North Korea obviously, Saudis are rich atleast, and money is freedom.

indeed