Based on the political, social, and economic background of one's direct ancestors as well as the behavior of their relatives, songbun is used to determine whether an individual is trusted with responsibilities, is given opportunities within North Korea, or even receives adequate food.
Berdasarkan latar belakang politik, sosial, dan ekonomi leluhur serta keluarga, songbun digunakan untuk menentukan apakah seorang individu dapat diberikan tanggung jawab, kesempatan untuk hidup di Korea Utara, atau bahkan menerima jumlah makanan yang memadai.