North Korea reportedly extended mandatory military service for men to up to ten years.

According to the recently updated World Factbook of the U.S. Central Intelligence Service(CIA), North Koreans must begin to fulfill their military service around the age of 17, with a service obligation of up to ten years for men and up to eight years for women.

In February of last year, South Korea's National Intelligence Service said that the period of compulsory military service for men was shortened from nine to ten years to seven to eight years, and from six to seven years for women to five years.

Last year's CIA World Factbook also said that the service time for men was seven to eight years.

Analysts say that the service period was extended again as North Korea recently revised regulations to recognize the completion of military service only after three years of farming in rural areas.