“White trash relatives” is a poor analogy. These are brainwashed, intimidated, pliable and seriously malnourished individuals with diminished mental capacity. In 7 decades, North and South Koreans have become vastly different as a result of the former’s dreadful oppression and treatment, so much so that even physically, South Koreans are tall and more robust while their Nork cousins are the size of adolescent children (and far lower IQs and poorer health).
Whereas “White Trash” often revel in their status, at any point, they could lift themselves out of it, and generally aren’t malnourished. Norks don’t have such opportunities to be lifted out or easy access to food, junk or healthy.
Yours is a better assessment. The people in Norkland are afraid to think for themselves. Any original thought there can have fatal consequences.