North Korea - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

North Korea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea
Coordinates: 4000N 12700E
North Korea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North Korea ( listen), officially the Democratic People's

Republic of Korea (DPRK; Chosn'gl:
; hancha: ; MR: Chosn
Minjujui Inmin Konghwaguk), is a country in East Asia, in the
northern part of the Korean Peninsula. The capital and largest city
is Pyongyang. North Korea shares a land border with China to the
north and north-west, along the Amnok (Yalu) and Tumen rivers.
A small section of the Tumen River also forms North Korea's
border with Russia to the northeast.[6] The Korean Demilitarized
Zone marks the boundary between North Korea and South Korea.
The legitimacy of this border is not accepted by either side, as
both states claim to be the legitimate government of the entire
peninsula.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Chosn Minjujui Inmin Konghwaguk[1]
Flag
Motto:
Kangsng Daeguk (Korean Romanization)
The Empire of Japan annexed Korea in 1910. After the Japanese

surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was divided
into two zones by the United States and the Soviet Union, with the
north occupied by the Soviets and the south by the Americans.
Negotiations on reunification failed, and in 1948 two separate
governments were formed: the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea in the north, and the Republic of Korea in the south. These
conflicting claims of sovereignty led to the Korean War
(195053). Although the Korean Armistice Agreement brought
about a ceasefire, no official peace treaty was ever signed.[7] Both
states were accepted into the United Nations in 1991.[8]
The DPRK holds elections, and officially describes itself as a
self-reliant socialist state.[9] Internationally, however, it is
considered a totalitarian dictatorship. Various outlets have called it
Stalinist,[18][19][20] particularly noting the elaborate cult of
personality around Kim Il-sung and his family. International
organizations have also assessed human rights violations in North
Korea as belonging to a category of their own, with no parallel in
the contemporary world.[21][22][23][24][25] The Workers' Party of
Korea, led by a member of the ruling family,[20] holds power in
the state and leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of
the Fatherland of which all political officers are required to be a
member.[26]
Over time North Korea has gradually distanced itself from the
world communist movement. Juche, an ideology of national
self-reliance, was introduced into the constitution as a "creative
application of MarxismLeninism" in 1972.[27][28] In 2009, the
constitution was amended again, removing the brief references to
communism (Chosn'gl: ).[29]
The means of production are owned by the state through state-run
enterprises and collectivized farms. Most services such as
healthcare, education, housing and food production are subsidized
or state-funded.[30] In the late 1990s, North Korea suffered from a
Emblem
Powerful and Prosperous Nation
Anthem:
Aegukka (Korean Romanization)

The Patriotic Song
Area controlled by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shown in

green
Capital
and largest city
Pyongyang
Official languages
Korean
Official script
Chosn'gl
Demonym
North Korean Korean
Government
Juche single-party state (various

interpretations)
- Supreme leader[2]
- Chairman of the
Assembly Presidium
- Premier
Kim Jong-un[a]
Legislature
Supreme People's Assembly
392N 12545E
Kim Yong-nam[b]
Pak Pong-ju
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famine that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of

civilians; the country continues to struggle with food
production.[31]
North Korea follows Songun, or "military-first" policy.[32] It is the
world's most militarized society, with a total of 9,495,000 active,
reserve, and paramilitary personnel. Its active duty army of 1.21
million is the fourth largest in the world, after China, the U.S., and
India.[33] It also possesses nuclear weapons.[34][35]
Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Early history
2.2 Japanese occupation (191045)
2.3 Soviet occupation and division of Korea
(194550)
2.4 Korean War (195053)
2.5 Post-war developments
2.6 The Arduous March
2.7 21st century
3 Geography
3.1 Climate
4 Administrative divisions
5 Government and politics
5.1 Political ideology
5.2 Personality cult
5.3 Law enforcement and internal security
5.4 Foreign relations
5.4.1 Korean reunification
5.5 Military
6 Society
6.1 Demographics
6.2 Health
6.3 Education
6.4 Language
6.5 Religion
6.6 Formal ranking of citizen's loyalty
6.7 Human rights
7 Economy
7.1 Infrastructure
7.2 Science and technology
8 Culture
8.1 Art
8.2 Music
8.3 Literature
8.4 Media
8.5 Cuisine
8.6 Sports
9 See also
10 References
Establishment
- Liberation
- Provisional People's
Committee for
North Korea
established
- DPRK established
- Chinese withdrawal
Area
- Total
- Water (%)
Population
- 2013 estimate
- 2011 census
15 August 1945
February 1946
9 September 1948
October 1958
120,540 km2 (98th)

46,528 sq mi
4.87
24,895,000 (48th)
24,052,231[3]
- Density
198.3/km2 (63rd)
513.8/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
- Total
2011 estimate
- Per capita
$1,800[4]
GDP (nominal)
- Total
2013 estimate
- Per capita
$621[5]
Currency
North Korean won () (KPW)
Time zone
Korea Standard Time (UTC+9)
$40 billion[4]
$15,4 billion[5]
yy, yyyy mm dd
yy, yyyy/mm/dd (CE1911 / CE)
Date format
Drives on the
right
Calling code
+850
ISO 3166 code
KP
Internet TLD
.kp
a.
^ Kim Jong-un holds four concurrent positions: First Secretary of the

Workers' Party, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, First
Chairman of the National Defence Commission and Supreme
Commander of the People's Army, serving as the "supreme leader" of
the DPRK.
b.
^ Kim Yong-nam is the "head of state for foreign affairs". The

position of president (formerly head of state) was written out of the
constitution in 1998. Kim Il-sung, who died in 1994, was given the
appellation "Eternal President" in its preamble.
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10.1 Sources
11 External links
Etymology
Goguryeo was one of the

Three Kingdoms of Korea
The name Korea derives from Goryeo, itself referring to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, the
first Korean dynasty visited by Persian merchants who referred to Kory (Goryeo; ) as
Korea.[36] The term Kory also widely became used to refer to Goguryeo, which renamed
itself Kory in the 5th century.[37] (The modern spelling, "Korea", first appeared in late 17th
century in the travel writings of the Dutch East India Company's Hendrick Hamel.[37]).
Despite the coexistence of the spellings Corea and Korea in 19th century publications, some
Koreans believe that Japan, around the time of the Japanese occupation, intentionally
standardised the spelling on Korea, making Japan appear first alphabetically.[38] Other
commentators have pointed out that Japan continued to refer to Korea as "Corea" and
"Chosen," even after Japan absorbed Korea, and that Japan would have had no need to concern
itself with Korea's alphabetical position in international forums, considering that Japan had
absorbed Korea, and thus Korea ceased to appear as an independent entity in international
forums.[39]
After Goryeo fell in 1392, Joseon became the official name for the entire territory, though it
was not universally accepted. The new official name has its origin in the ancient country of Gojoseon (Old Joseon). In 1897,
the Joseon dynasty changed the official name of the country from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk (Korean Empire). The name
Daehan, which means "great Han" literally, derives from Samhan (Three Hans). However, the name Joseon was still widely
used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it was no longer the official name. Under Japanese rule, the two names Han
and Joseon coexisted. There were several groups who fought for independence, the most notable being the Provisional
Government of the Republic of Korea.
History
Early history
Korea in 108 BC
Korean history begins with the founding of Joseon (often known as "Gojoseon" to prevent
confusion with another dynasty founded in the 13th century; the prefix Go- means 'older,'
'before,' or 'earlier') in 2333 BC by Dangun, according to Korean foundation mythology.[40]
Gojoseon expanded until it controlled northern Korean Peninsula and some parts of
Manchuria. The Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in 12th century BC, and its existence
and role have been controversial in the modern era.[41] In the 2nd century BC, Wiman Joseon
which fell to the Han China near the end of the century. Later the Han Dynasty defeated the
Wiman Joseon and set up Four Commanderies of Han in 108 BC. There was a significant
Chinese presence in northern parts of the Korean peninsula during the next century, and the
Lelang Commandery persisted for about 400 years until it was conquered by Goguryeo.[42]
After many conflicts with the Chinese Han Dynasty, Gojoseon disintegrated, leading to the
ProtoThree Kingdoms of Korea period.
In the early centuries of the Common Era, Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and the Samhan
confederacy occupied the peninsula and southern Manchuria. Of the various states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla grew to
control the peninsula as Three Kingdoms of Korea. The unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla in 676 led to the North
South States Period, in which much of the Korean Peninsula was controlled by Unified Silla, while Balhae succeeded to have
the control of northern parts of Goguryeo.
In Unified Silla, poetry and art was encouraged, and Buddhist culture thrived. Relationships between Korea and China
remained relatively peaceful during this time. However, Unified Silla weakened under internal strife, and surrendered to
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Goryeo in 935. Balhae, Silla's neighbor to the north, was formed as a successor state to
Goguryeo. During its height, Balhae controlled most of Manchuria and parts of Russian Far
East. It fell to the Khitan in 926.
The peninsula was united by King Taejo of Goryeo in 936. Like Silla, Goryeo was a highly
cultural state and created the Jikji in 1377, using the world's oldest movable metal type
printing press.[43] The Mongol invasions in the 13th century greatly weakened Goryeo. After
nearly 30 years of war, Goryeo continued to rule Korea, though as a tributary ally to the
Mongols. After the Mongolian Empire collapsed, severe political strife followed and the
Goryeo Dynasty was replaced by the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, following a rebellion by
General Yi Seong-gye.
ProtoThree Kingdoms, c. 1
CE
Jikji, the first known book

printed with movable metal
type in 1377. Bibliothque
Nationale de Paris
King Taejo declared the new name of Korea as "Joseon" in reference to Gojoseon, and moved
the capital to Hanseong (old name of Seoul). The first 200 years of the Joseon Dynasty were
marked by relative peace and saw the creation of Hangul by
King Sejong the Great in the 15th century and the rise in
influence of Confucianism in the country.
Between 1592 and 1598, Japan invaded Korea. Toyotomi
Hideyoshi led the Japanese forces, but his advance was halted
by Korean forces with assistance from Righteous army militias
and Ming Dynasty Chinese troops. Through a series of
successful battles of attrition, the Japanese forces were
eventually forced to withdraw, and subsequently signed a peace
agreement with diplomats of Ming China. This war also saw
the rise of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his renowned "turtle ship".
In the 1620s and 1630s, Joseon suffered from invasions by the
Manchu which eventually extended to China as well.
Gyeongbok Palace is the

largest of the Five Grand
Palaces built during the
Joseon Dynasty.
After another series of wars against Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. King Yeongjo and
King Jeongjo particularly led a new renaissance of the Joseon Dynasty.
Japanese occupation (191045)

The latter years of the Joseon Dynasty were marked by isolation from the outside
world. During the 19th century, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the name the
"Hermit Kingdom". The Joseon Dynasty tried to protect itself against Western
imperialism, but was eventually forced to open trade. After the First Sino-Japanese
War and the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was occupied by Japan (191045).
Japan tried to suppress Korean traditions and culture and ran the economy primarily
for its own benefit. Anti-Japanese, pro-liberation rallies took place nationwide on 1
March 1919 (the March 1st Movement). About 7,000 people were killed during the
suppression of this movement. Continued anti-Japanese uprisings, such as the
nationwide uprising of students in 1929, led to the strengthening of military rule in
1931. After the outbreaks of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 and World War II, Japan
stepped up efforts to extinguish Korean culture.
Three Koreans shot for pulling up

rails as a protest against seizure of
land without payment by the Japanese
Koreans were forced to adopt Japanese names. Worship at Japanese Shinto shrines was made compulsory. The school
curriculum was radically modified to eliminate teaching in the Korean language and history. Numerous Korean cultural
artifacts were destroyed or taken to Japan. Resistance groups known as Dongnipgun (Liberation Army) operated along the
Sino-Korean border, fighting guerrilla warfare against Japanese forces. Some of them took part in allied action in China and
parts of South East Asia. One of the guerrilla leaders was the communist Kim Il-sung, who later became the leader of North
Korea.
During World War II, Koreans at home were forced to support the Japanese war effort. Tens of thousands of men were
conscripted into Japan's military. Around 200,000 girls and women, many from Korea, were forced to engage in sexual
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services for the Japanese military, with the euphemism "comfort women".
Soviet occupation and division of Korea (194550)

At the end of World War II in 1945, the Korean peninsula was divided into two zones
along the 38th parallel, with the northern half of the peninsula occupied by the Soviet
Union and the southern half by the United States. Initial hopes for a unified,
independent Korea evaporated as the politics of the Cold War resulted in the
establishment of two separate states with diametrically opposed political, economic,
and social systems.
Suspected communist sympathizers
Soviet General Terentii Shtykov recommended the establishment of the Soviet Civil
awaiting execution, Jeju in May 1948
Authority in October 1945, and supported Kim Il-sung as chairman of the Provisional
People's Committee for North Korea, established in February 1946. During the
provisional government, Shtykov's chief accomplishment was a sweeping land reform program that broke North Korea's
stratified class system. Landlords and Japanese collaborators fled to the South, where there was no land reform and sporadic
unrest. Shtykov nationalized key industries and led the Soviet delegation to talks on the future of Korea in Moscow and Seoul.
[44][45][46][47][48] In September 1946, South Korean citizens had risen up against the Allied Military Government. In April
1948, an uprising of the Jeju islanders was violently crushed. The South declared its statehood in May 1948 and two months
later the ardent anti-communist Syngman Rhee became its ruler. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established
in the North on 9 September 1948. Shtykov served as the first Soviet Ambassador, while Kim Il-sung became Premier.
Soviet forces withdrew from the North in 1948 and most American forces withdrew from the South the following year.
Ambassador Shtykov suspected Rhee was planning to invade the North, and was sympathetic to Kim's goal of Korean
unification under socialism. The two successfully lobbied Joseph Stalin to support a short blitzkrieg of the South, which
culminated in the outbreak of the Korean War.[44][45][46][47]
Korean War (195053)

The military of North Korea invaded the South on 25 June 1950, and swiftly overran
most of the country. A United Nations force, led by the United States, intervened to
defend the South, and rapidly advanced into North Korea. As they neared the border
with China, Chinese forces intervened on behalf of North Korea, shifting the balance
of the war again. Fighting ended on 27 July 1953, with an armistice that approximately
restored the original boundaries between North and South Korea. More than one
million civilians and soldiers were killed in the war. As a result of the war, almost
every substantial building in North Korea was destroyed.[49][50]
Civilians killed by North Korean
Although some have referred to the conflict as a civil war, other important factors were
[51]
forces near Hamhung, October 1950
involved.
The Korean War was also the first armed confrontation of the Cold War
and set the standard for many later conflicts. It is often viewed as an example of the
proxy war, where the two superpowers would fight in another country, forcing the people in that country to suffer most of the
destruction and death involved in a war between such large nations. The superpowers avoided descending into an all-out war
against one another, as well as the mutual use of nuclear weapons. It also expanded the Cold War, which to that point had
mostly been concerned with Europe.
A heavily guarded demilitarized zone (DMZ) still divides the peninsula, and an anti-communist and anti-North Korea
sentiment remains in South Korea. Since the war, the United States has maintained a strong military presence in the South
which is depicted by the North Korean government as an imperialist occupation force.[52]
Post-war developments
The relative peace between the South and the North following the armistice was interrupted by border skirmishes, celebrity
abductions, and assassination attempts. The North failed in several assassination attempts on South Korean leaders, most
notably in 1968, 1974 and the Rangoon bombing in 1983; tunnels were frequently found under the DMZ and war nearly broke
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out over the axe murder incident at Panmunjom in 1976.[53] In 1973, extremely secret,
high-level contacts began to be conducted through the offices of the Red Cross, but
ended after the Panmunjom incident, with little progress having been made and the
idea that the two Koreas would join international organizations separately.[54]
During the 1956 August Faction Incident, Kim Il-sung successfully resisted efforts by
the Soviet Union and China to depose him in favor of Soviet Koreans or the
pro-Chinese Yanan faction.[55][56] The last Chinese troops withdrew from the country
in October 1958, which is the consensus as the latest date when North Korea became
effectively independent, though some scholars believe that the 1956 August incident
A Korean People's Army soldier
demonstrated independence.[55][56][57] North Korea remained closely aligned to China
pointing to the Korean Demilitarized
and the Soviet Union, and the Sino-Soviet split allowed Kim to play the powers off
Zone.
each other. North Korea sought[58] to become a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement,
and emphasized the ideology of Juche to distinguish it from both the Soviet Union and China.[59]
Recovery from the war was quick by 1957 industrial production reached 1949 levels. In 1959, relations with Japan had
improved somewhat, and North Korea began allowing the repatriation of Japanese citizens in the country. The same year,
North Korea revalued the North Korean won, which held greater value than its South Korean counterpart. Until the 1960s,
economic growth was higher than in South Korea, and North Korean GDP per capita was equal to that of its southern
neighbor as late as 1976.[60]
In the early 1970s China began normalizing its relations with the West, particularly the U.S., and reevaluating its relations
with North Korea. The diplomatic problems culminated in 1976 with the death of Mao Zedong. In response, Kim Il-sung
began severing ties with China and reemphasizing national and economic self-reliance enshrined in his Juche Idea, which
promoted producing everything within the country. By the 1980s the economy had begun to stagnate, started its long decline
in 1987, and almost completely collapsed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 when all Russian aid was suddenly
halted. The North began reestablishing trade relations with China shortly thereafter, but the Chinese could not afford to
provide enough food aid to meet demand.
The Arduous March

In 1992, as Kim Il-sung's health began deteriorating, Kim Jong-il slowly began taking over various state tasks. Kim Il-sung
died of a heart attack in 1994, in the midst of a standoff with the United States over North Korean nuclear weapon
development. Kim declared a three-year period of national mourning before officially announcing his position as the new
leader.
North Korean efforts to build nuclear weapons were halted by the Agreed Framework, negotiations with U.S. president Bill
Clinton. Kim Jong-il instituted a policy called Songun, or "military first". There is much speculation about this policy being
used as a strategy to strengthen the military while discouraging coup attempts. Restrictions on travel were tightened and the
state security apparatus was strengthened.
Flooding in the mid-1990s exacerbated the economic crisis, severely damaging crops and infrastructure and led to widespread
famine which the government proved incapable of curtailing. In 1996, the government accepted UN food aid. Since the
outbreak of the famine, the government has reluctantly tolerated illegal black markets while officially maintaining a state
socialist economy. Corruption flourished and disillusionment with the regime spread.
In the late 1990s, North Korea began making attempts at normalizing relations with the West and continuously renegotiating
disarmament deals with U.S. officials in exchange for economic aid. At the same time, building on Nordpolitik, South Korea
began to engage with the North as part of its Sunshine Policy.[61][62]
21st century
The international environment changed with the election of U.S. president George W. Bush in 2001. His administration
rejected South Korea's Sunshine Policy and the Agreed Framework. The U.S. government treated North Korea as a rogue
state, while North Korea redoubled its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons to avoid the fate of Iraq.[63][64][65]
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On October 9, 2006, North Korea announced it had conducted its first nuclear weapons
test.[66][67]
North Koreans bowing in front of

statues of Kim Il-sung (left) and Kim
Jong-il
In August 2009, former U.S. president Bill

Clinton met with Kim Jong-il to secure the
release of two American journalists who had
been sentenced for entering the country
illegally.[68] Current U.S. president Barack
Obama's position towards North Korea has
been to resist making deals with North Korea
for the sake of defusing tension, a policy
known as "strategic patience."[69]
North Korean women present gifts to

South Korean business tycoon Chung
Ju-yung, 1998
Tensions with South Korea and the United

States increased in 2010 with the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan[70]
and North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.[71][72]
On 17 December 2011, the supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong-il died from a heart attack.[73] His youngest son Kim
Jong-un was announced as his successor.
In 2013 an international crisis erupted regarding North Korea's attempts to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles.[74][75]
[76][77][78]
Geography
North Korea occupies the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula, lying between latitudes 37 and 43N, and longitudes
124 and 131E. It covers an area of 120,540 square kilometres (46,541 sq mi). North Korea shares land borders with China
and Russia to the north, and borders South Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. To its west are the Yellow Sea and
Korea Bay, and to its east lies Japan across the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea).
The capital and largest city is Pyongyang; other major cities include Kaesong in the south, Sinuiju in the northwest, Wonsan
and Hamhung in the east and Chongjin in the northeast.
Early European visitors to Korea remarked that the country resembled "a sea in a heavy gale" because of the many successive
mountain ranges that crisscross the peninsula.[79] Some 80% of North Korea is composed of mountains and uplands, separated
by deep and narrow valleys. All of the Korean Peninsula's mountains with elevations of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) or more are
located in North Korea. The coastal plains are wide in the west and discontinuous in the east. A great majority of the
population lives in the plains and lowlands. According to a United Nations Environmental Programme report in 2003, forest
covers over 70 percent of the country, mostly on steep slopes.[80] The longest river is the Amnok (Yalu) River which flows for
790 kilometres (491 mi).[81]
The highest point in North Korea is Baekdu Mountain, a volcanic mountain which forms part of the Chinese/North Korean
border with basalt lava plateau with elevations between 1,400 and 2,744 meters (4,593 and 9,003 ft) above sea level.[79] The
Hamgyong Range, located in the extreme northeastern part of the peninsula, has many high peaks including Kwanmobong at
approximately 2,541 m (8,337 ft).[79]
Other major ranges include the Rangrim Mountains, which are located in the north-central part of North Korea and run in a
north-south direction, making communication between the eastern and western parts of the country rather difficult; and the
Kangnam Range, which runs along the North KoreaChina border. Mount Kumgang, or Diamond Mountain (approximately
1,638 metres or 5,374 feet), in the Taebaek Range, which extends into South Korea, is famous for its scenic beauty.[79]
Climate
North Korea has a combination of a continental climate and an oceanic climate, with four distinct seasons.[80][82] Most of
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North Korea is classified as being of a humid

continental climate within the Kppen climate
classification scheme, with warm summers and
cold, dry winters. In summer, there is a short rainy
season called changma.[83]
Long winters bring bitter cold and clear weather
interspersed with snow storms as a result of
northern and northwestern winds that blow from
Siberia. The daily average high and low
temperatures for Pyongyang in January are 3 and
13 C (27 and 9 F). On average, it snows
thirty-seven days during the winter. Winter can be
particularly harsh in the northern, mountainous
regions.[82]
Summer tends to be short, hot, humid, and rainy
because of the southern and southeastern monsoon
winds that bring moist air from the Pacific Ocean.
Spring and autumn are transitional seasons marked
by mild temperatures and variable winds and bring
the most pleasant weather. The daily average high
and low temperatures for Pyongyang in August are
29 and 20 C (84 and 68 F).[82]
On average, approximately 60% of all precipitation
occurs from June to September. Natural hazards
include late spring droughts which are often
followed by severe flooding. Typhoons affect the
peninsula on an average of at least once every
summer or early autumn.[82]
A map of North Korea.
In 2015, North Korea experienced extreme drought

which affected crops and electricity supplies.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the drought was the worst seen in 100 years.[84]
Administrative divisions
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Namea
Map
Chosn'gl
Administrative
seat
Capital city (chikhalsi)a

1 Pyongyang
(Chung-guyok)
Special city (teukbyeolsi)a
2 Rason *
(Rajin-guyok) *
Provinces (do)a
3
South
Pyongan
Pyongsong
North
Pyongan
Sinuiju
Kanggye
5 Chagang
6
South
Hwanghae
Haeju
North
Hwanghae
Sariwon
8 Kangwon
Wonsan
South
Hamgyong
Hamhung
10
North
Hamgyong
Chongjin
11
Ryanggang
Hyesan
* Rendered in Southern dialects as

"Yanggang" (), "Nason" (), or
"Najin" ().
Government and politics

North Korea functions as a highly centralized, single-party republic. According to its
2009 constitution, it is a self-described revolutionary and socialist state "guided in its
activities by the Juche idea and the Songun idea".[85] The Workers' Party of Korea
(WPK) has an estimated 3,000,000 members and dominates every aspect of North
Korean politics. It has two satellite organizations, the Korean Social Democratic Party
and the Chondoist Chongu Party[86] which participate in the WPK-led Democratic
Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland. Another highly influential structure is the
independent National Defence Commission (NDC). Kim Jong-un of the Kim family
heads all major governing structures: he is First Secretary of the WPK, First Chairman
of the NDC, and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army.[87][88] Kim
Il-sung, who died in 1994, is the country's "Eternal President",[89] while Kim Jong-il
was announced "Eternal General Secretary" after his death in 2011.[87]
Mansudae Assembly Hall, seat of the

Supreme People's Assembly
The unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) is the highest organ of state authority and holds the legislative power. Its
687 members are elected every five years by universal suffrage. Supreme People's Assembly sessions are convened by the
SPA Presidium, whose president (Kim Yong-nam since 1998) also represents the state in relations with foreign countries.
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Deputies formally elect the President, the vice-presidents and members of the Presidium and take part in the constitutionally
appointed activities of the legislature: pass laws, establish domestic and foreign policies, appoint members of the cabinet,
review and approve the state economic plan, among others.[90] However, the SPA itself cannot initiate any legislation
independently of party or state organs. It is unknown whether it has ever criticized or amended bills placed before it, and the
elections are based around a single list of WPK-approved candidates who stand without opposition.[91]
Executive power is vested in the Cabinet of North Korea, which is headed by Premier
Pak Pong-ju.[92] The Premier represents the government and functions independently.
His authority extends over two vice-premiers, 30 ministers, two cabinet commission
chairmen, the cabinet chief secretary, the president of the Central Bank, the director of
the Central Statistics Bureau and the president of the Academy of Sciences. A 31st
ministry, the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, is under the jurisdiction of the
National Defence Commission.[93]
Political ideology
North Koreans touring the Museum
of American War Atrocities in 2009
The Juche ideology is the cornerstone of party works and government operations. It is
viewed by the official North Korean line as an embodiment of Kim Il-sung's wisdom,
an expression of his leadership, and an idea which provides "a complete answer to any
question that arises in the struggle for national liberation".[94] Juche was pronounced in December
1955 in order to emphasize a Korea-centered revolution.[94] Its core tenets are economic
self-sufficiency, military self-reliance and an independent foreign policy. The roots of Juche were
made up of a complex mixture of factors, including the cult of personality centered on Kim
Il-sung, the conflict with pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese dissenters, and Korea's centuries-long
struggle for independence.[95]
It was initially promoted as a "creative application" of MarxismLeninism, but in the mid-1970s,

it was described by state propaganda as "the only scientific thought... and most effective
revolutionary theoretical structure that leads to the future of communist society". Juche eventually
The Juche Tower in
replaced MarxistLeninism entirely by the 1980s,[96] and in 1992 references to the latter were
Pyongyang.
omitted from the constitution.[97] The 2009 constitution dropped references to communism, but
[98]
retained references to socialism.
Juche's concepts of self-reliance have thus evolved with time
and circumstances, but still provide the groundwork for the spartan austerity, sacrifice and discipline demanded by the
party.[99]
Some foreign observers have instead described North Korea's political system as an absolute monarchy[100][101][102] or a
"hereditary dictatorship".[103] Others view its ideology as a racialist-focused nationalism similar to that of Shwa Japan,
[104][105][106][107] or bearing a resemblance to European fascism.[108] A defected North Korean scholar dismisses the idea that
Juche is the country's leading ideology, regarding its public exaltation as designed to deceive foreigners.[109]
Personality cult
The North Korean government exercises control over many aspects of the nation's culture, and this control is used to
perpetuate a cult of personality surrounding Kim Il-sung,[110] and, to a lesser extent, Kim Jong-il.[111] While visiting North
Korea in 1979, journalist Bradley Martin noted that nearly all music, art, and sculpture that he observed glorified "Great
Leader" Kim Il-sung, whose personality cult was then being extended to his son, "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il.[112] Bradley
Martin also reported that there is even widespread belief that Kim Il-sung "created the world", and Kim Jong-il could "control
the weather".[112]
Such reports are contested by North Korea researcher Brian R. Myers: "divine powers have never been attributed to either of
the two Kims. In fact, the propaganda apparatus in Pyongyang has generally been careful not to make claims that run directly
counter to citizens experience or common sense."[113] He further explains that the state propaganda painted Kim Jong-il as
someone whose expertise lay in military matters and that the famine of the 1990s was partially caused by natural disasters out
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of Kim Jong-il's control.[114]

The song "No Motherland Without You", sung by the North Korean Army Choir, was
created especially for Kim Jong-il and is one of the most popular tunes in the country.
Kim Il-sung is still officially revered as the nation's "Eternal President". Several
landmarks in North Korea are named for Kim Il-sung, including Kim Il-sung
University, Kim Il-sung Stadium, and Kim Il-sung Square. Defectors have been quoted
as saying that North Korean schools deify both father and son.[115] Kim Il-sung
rejected the notion that he had created a cult around himself, and accused those who
suggested this of "factionalism".[112] Following the death of Kim Il-sung, North
Koreans were prostrating and weeping to a bronze statue of him in an organized
event;[116] similar scenes were broadcast by state television following the death of Kim
Jong-il.
A propaganda poster with Kim

Il-sung's official portrait.
Critics maintain this Kim Jong-il personality cult was inherited from his father, Kim
Il-sung. Kim Jong-il was often the center of attention throughout ordinary life in the DPRK. His birthday is one of the most
important public holidays in the country. On his 60th birthday (based on his official date of birth), mass celebrations occurred
throughout the country.[117] Kim Jong-il's personality cult, although significant, was not as extensive as his father's. One point
of view is that Kim Jong-il's cult of personality was solely out of respect for Kim Il-sung or out of fear of punishment for
failure to pay homage.[118] Media and government sources from outside of North Korea generally support this view,[119]
[120][121][122][123] while North Korean government sources say that it is genuine hero worship.[124]
B. R. Myers also argues that the worship is real and not unlike worship of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. In a more recent
event on 11 June 2012 a 14-year-old North Korean schoolgirl drowned while attempting to rescue portraits of Kim Il-sung
and Kim Jong-il from a flood.[125]
Law enforcement and internal security

North Korea has a civil law system based on the Prussian model and influenced by
Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory.[126] Judiciary procedures are handled by
the Central Court (the highest court of appeal), provincial or special city-level courts,
people's courts and special courts. People's courts are at the lowest level of the system and
operate in cities, counties and urban districts, while different kinds of special courts handle
cases related to military, railroad or maritime matters.[127]
Judges are theoretically elected by their respective local people's assemblies, but in practice
they're appointed by the Korean Workers' Party. The penal code is based on the principle of
nullum crimen sine lege (no crime without a law), but remains a tool for political control
despite several amendments reducing ideological influence.[127] Courts carry out legal
procedures related to not only criminal and civil matters, but also political cases as
well.[128] Political prisoners are sent to labor camps, while criminal offenders are
incarcerated in a separate system.[129]
North Korean traffic police in
The Ministry of People's Security (MPS) maintains most law enforcement activities. It is
Pyongyang
one of the most powerful state institutions in North Korea and oversees the national police
force, investigates criminal cases and manages non-political correctional facilities.[130] It
also handles other aspects of domestic security like civil registration, traffic control, fire departments and railroad
security.[131] The State Security Department was separated from the MPS in 1973 to conduct domestic and foreign
intelligence, counterintelligence and manage the political prison system. Political camps can be short-term reeducation zones
or "total control zones" for lifetime detention.[132] Camp 14 in Kaechon,[133] Camp 15 in Yodok[134] and Camp 18 in
Bukchang[135] are described in detailed testimonies.[136]
The security apparatus is very extensive,[137] exerting strict control over residence, travel, employment, clothing, food and
family life.[138] Security establishments tightly monitor cellular and digital communications. The MPS, State Security and the
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police allegedly conduct real-time monitoring of text messages, online data transfer, monitor phone calls and automatically
transcribe recorded conversations. They reportedly have the capacity to triangulate a subscriber's exact location, while military
intelligence monitors phone and radio traffic as far as 140 kilometers south of the Demilitarized zone.[139] Mass surveillance
is carried out through a system which includes 100,000 CCTV cameras, many of which are installed at the border with
China.[140]
Foreign relations
Initially, North Korea had diplomatic ties with only other communist countries. In
the 1960s and 1970s, it pursued an independent foreign policy, established relations
with many developing countries, and joined the Non-Aligned Movement. In the late
1980s and the 1990s its foreign policy was thrown into turmoil with the collapse of
the Soviet bloc. Suffering an economic crisis, it closed 30% of its embassies. At the
same time, North Korea sought to build relations with developed free market
countries.[141] As a result of its isolation, it is sometimes known as the "hermit
kingdom".[142]
As of 2012, North Korea had diplomatic relations with 162 countries, as well as the
The close China-DPRK relationship is
[141]
celebrated at the Mass Games in
European Union and the Palestinian Authority, and embassies in 42 countries.
Pyongyang
North Korea continues to have strong ties with its socialist southeast Asian allies in
[143]
Vietnam and Laos, as well as with Cambodia.
Most of the foreign embassies to
North Korea are located in Beijing rather than in Pyongyang.[144] The Korean Demilitarized Zone with South Korea is the
most heavily fortified border in the world.[145]
As a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program, the six-party talks were
established to find a peaceful solution to the growing tension between the two Korean
governments, the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, Japan, and the United
States. North Korea was previously designated a state sponsor of terrorism[146] because of
its alleged involvement in the 1983 Rangoon bombing and the 1987 bombing of a South
Korean airliner.[147] On 11 October 2008, the United States removed North Korea from its
list of states that sponsor terrorism after Pyongyang agreed to cooperate on issues related to
its nuclear program.[148] The kidnapping of at least 13 Japanese citizens by North Korean
agents in the 1970s and the 1980s was another major issue in the country's foreign
policy.[149]
Korean reunification
An aid convoy entering North
North Korea's policy is to seek reunification without what it sees as outside interference,
Korea through the Demilitarized
through a federal structure retaining each side's leadership and systems. In 2000, both North
Zone in 1998
and South Korea signed the June 15th NorthSouth Joint Declaration in which both sides
made promises to seek out a peaceful reunification.[150] The Democratic Federal Republic
of Korea is a proposed state first mentioned by then North Korean president Kim Il-sung on 10 October 1980, proposing a
federation between North and South Korea in which the respective political systems would initially remain.[151]
Inter-Korean relations are at the core of North Korean diplomacy and have seen numerous shifts in the last few decades. In
1972, the two Koreas agreed in principle to achieve reunification through peaceful means and without foreign
interference.[152] Despite this, relations remained cool well until the early 1990s, with the exception of a brief period in the
early 1980s when North Korea provided flood relief to its southern neighbor and the two countries organized a reunion of 92
separated families.[153]
The Sunshine Policy instituted by South Korean president Kim Dae-jung in 1998 was a watershed in inter-Korean relations. It
encouraged other countries to engage with the North, which allowed Pyongyang to normalize relations with a number of
European Union states and contributed to the establishment of joint North-South economic projects. The culmination of the
Sunshine Policy was the 2000 Inter-Korean Summit, when Kim Dae-jung visited Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang.[154] On 4
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October 2007, South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il signed an 8-point peace agreement.[155]
Relations worsened yet again in the late 2000s and early 2010s when South Korean president Lee Myung-bak adopted a more
hard-line approach and suspended aid deliveries pending the de-nuclearization of the North. North Korea responded by ending
all of its previous agreements with the South.[156] It also deployed additional ballistic missiles[157] and placed its military on
full combat alert after South Korea, Japan and the United States threatened to intercept a Unha-2 space launch vehicle.[158]
The next few years witnessed a string of hostilities, including the alleged North Korean involvement in the sinking of South
Korean warship Cheonan,[70] mutual ending of diplomatic ties,[159] a North Korean artillery attack on Yeonpyeong
Island,[160] and an international crisis involving threats of a nuclear exchange.[161]
Military
The Korean People's Army (KPA) is the name of North Korea's military
organization. The KPA has 1,106,000 active and 8,389,000 reserve and
paramilitary troops, making it the largest military institution in the world.[162]
About 20% of men aged 1754 serve in the regular armed forces,[33] and
approximately one in every 25 citizens is an enlisted soldier.[34][163] The KPA has
five branches: Ground Force, Naval Force, Air Force, Special Operations Force,
and Rocket Force. Command of the Korean People's Army lies in both the Central
Military Commission of the Korean Workers' Party and the independent National
Defense Commission. The Ministry of People's Armed Forces is subordinated to
the latter.[164]
Korean People's Army soldiers at
Of all KPA branches, the Ground Force is the largest. It has approximately 1
Panmunjom
million personnel divided into 80 infantry divisions, 30 artillery brigades, 25
special warfare brigades, 20 mechanized brigades, 10 tank brigades and seven
tank regiments.[165] They are equipped with 3,700 tanks, 2,100 APCs and IFVs,[166] 17,900 artillery pieces, 11,000
anti-aircraft guns[167] and some 10,000 MANPADS and anti-tank guided missiles.[168] Other equipment includes 1,600
aircraft in the Air Force and 1,000 vessels in the Navy.[169] North Korea has the largest special forces and the largest
submarine fleet in the world.[170]
North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, but its arsenal remains limited. Various
estimates put its stockpile at less than 10 plutonium warheads[171][172] and 1227
nuclear weapon equivalents if uranium warheads are considered.[173] Delivery
capabilities[174] are provided by the Rocket Force, which has some 1,000 ballistic
missiles with a range of up to 3,000 kilometres.[175]
According to a 2004 South Korean assessment,
North Korea possesses a stockpile of chemical
weapons estimated to amount to 2,5005,000 tons,
including nerve, blister, blood, and vomiting
agents, as well as the ability to cultivate and
Ilyushin Il-76 strategic military airlifter
produce biological weapons including anthrax,
used by Air Koryo.
smallpox, and cholera.[176][177] Because of its
nuclear and missile tests, North Korea has been
sanctioned under United Nations Security Council resolutions 1695 of July 2006, 1718 of
October 2006, 1874 of June 2009, and 2087 of January 2013.
Vice Marshal Jo Myong-rok
meets Bill Clinton at the
White House, October 2000
The military faces some issues limiting its conventional capabilities, including obsolete
equipment, insufficient fuel supplies and a shortage of digital command and control assets. To
compensate for these deficiencies, the KPA has deployed a wide range of asymmetric warfare
technologies like anti-personnel blinding lasers,[178] GPS jammers,[179] midget submarines
and human torpedoes,[180] stealth paint,[181] electromagnetic pulse bombs,[182] and cyberwarfare units.[183] KPA units have
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also attempted to jam South Korean military satellites.[184]

Much of the equipment is engineered and produced by a domestic defense industry. Weapons are manufactured in roughly
1,800 underground defense industry plants scattered throughout the country, most of them located in Chagang Province.[185]
The defense industry is capable of producing a full range of individual and crew-served weapons, artillery, armoured vehicles,
tanks, missiles, helicopters, surface combatants, submarines, landing and infiltration craft, Yak-18 trainers and possibly
co-production of jet aircraft.[137] According to official North Korean media, military expenditures for 2010 amount to 15.8%
of the state budget.[186]
Society
Demographics
With the exception of a small Chinese community and a few ethnic
Japanese, North Korea's 24,852,000 people are ethnically homogeneous.
[187][188] Demographic experts in the 20th century estimated that the
population would grow to 25.5 million by 2000 and 28 million by 2010,
but this increase never occurred due to the North Korean famine.[189] It
began in 1995, lasted for three years and resulted in the deaths of between
300,000 and 800,000 North Koreans annually.[190] The deaths were most
likely caused by malnutrition-related illnesses like pneumonia and
tuberculosis rather than starvation.[190]
International donors led by the United States initiated shipments of food
North Koreans posing for a photo in front of
through the World Food Program in 1997 to combat the famine.[191]
Kumsusan Palace of the Sun
Despite a drastic reduction of aid under the Bush Administration,[192] the
situation gradually improved: the number of malnourished children
declined from 60% in 1998[193] to 37% in 2006[194] and 28% in 2013.[195] Domestic food production almost recovered to the
recommended annual level of 5.37 million tons of cereal equivalent in 2013,[196] but the World Food Program reported a
continuing lack of dietary diversity and access to fats and proteins.[197]
The famine had a significant impact on the population growth rate, which declined to 0.9% annually in 2002[189] and 0.53% in
2014.[198] Late marriages after military service, limited housing space and long hours of work or political studies further
exhaust the population and reduce growth.[189] The national birth rate is 14.5 births per 1,000 population.[199] Two-thirds of
households consist of extended families mostly living in two-room units. Marriage is virtually universal and divorce is
extremely rare.[200]
Health
North Korea had a life expectancy of 69.8 years in 2013.[201] While North
Korea is classified as a low-income country, the structure of North Korea's
causes of death (2013) are unlike that of other low-income countries.[202]
Instead, it is closer to worldwide averages, with non-communicable
diseasessuch as cardiovascular disease and cancersaccounting for
two-thirds of the total deaths.[202]
A 2013 study reported that communicable diseases and malnutrition are
responsible for 29% of the total deaths in North Korea. This figure is
higher than those of high-income countries and South Korea, but half of
the average 57% of all deaths in other low-income countries.[202]
Infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and hepatitis B are
considered to be endemic to the country as a result of the famine.[203]
A dental clinic at one of North Korea's major

hospitals
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Cardiovascular disease as a single disease group is the largest cause of death in North Korea (2013).[202] The three major
causes of death in DPR Korea are ischaemic heart disease (13%), lower respiratory infections (11%) and cerebrovascular
disease (7%).[204] Non-communicable diseases risk factors in North Korea include high rates of urbanisation, an aging society,
high rates of smoking and alcohol consumption amongst men.[202]
According to 2003 report by the United States Department of State, almost 100% of the population has access to water and
sanitation.[203] 60% of the population had access to improved sanitation facilities in 2000.[205]
A free universal insurance system is in place.[30] Quality of medical care varies significantly by region[206] and is often low,
with severe shortages of equipment, drugs and anaesthetics.[207] According to WHO, expenditure on health per capita is one
of the lowest in the world.[207] Preventive medicine is emphasized through physical exercise and sports, nationwide monthly
checkups and routine spraying of public places against disease. Every individual has a lifetime health card which contains a
full medical record.[208]
Education
The 2008 census listed the entire population as literate, including those in the age group beyond 80.[200] An 11-year free,
compulsory cycle of primary and secondary education is provided in more than 27,000 nursery schools, 14,000 kindergartens,
4,800 four-year primary and 4,700 six-year secondary schools.[193] Some 77% of males and 79% of females aged 3034 have
finished secondary school.[200] An additional 300 universities and colleges offer higher education.[193] Kim Il-sung University
is the only one with four-year courses.
Most graduates from the compulsory program do not attend university but begin their obligatory military service or proceed to
work in farms or factories instead. The main deficiencies of higher education are the heavy presence of ideological subjects,
which comprise 50% of courses in social studies and 20% in sciences,[209] and the imbalances in curriculum. The study of
natural sciences is greatly emphasized while social sciences are neglected.[210] Heuristics is actively applied to develop the
independence and creativity of students throughout the system.[211] Studying of Russian and English language was made
compulsory in upper middle schools in 1978.[212]
Language
North Korea shares the Korean language with South Korea,
although some dialect differences exist within both Koreas. North
Koreans refer to their Pyongyang dialect as munhwa ("cultured
language") as opposed to South Korea's Seoul dialect, the p'yojuno
("standard language"), which is viewed as decadent because of its
usage of Japanese and English loanwords.[213]
Words from Japanese, Chinese or Western origin have been
eliminated from munhwa along with the usage of Chinese hanja
characters.[213] Written language uses the chosn'gul phonetic
alphabet, developed under Sejong the Great (1418 1450).[214]
Religion
Freedom of religion and the right to religious ceremonies are
constitutionally guaranteed, but religions are restricted in practice.
[215][216] According to Religious Intelligence, 64.3% of the
population are irreligious adherents of the Juche idea, 16%
practice Korean shamanism, 13.5% practice Chondoism, 4.5% are
Buddhist, and 1.7% are Christian.[217]
The influence of Buddhism and Confucianism still has an effect on
Dialects of the Korean language. Note the extent of Korean

speakers living in China.
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cultural life.[218][219] Buddhists reportedly fare better than other religious groups. They are given limited funding by the
government to promote the religion, because Buddhism played an integral role in traditional Korean culture.[220]
Chondoism ("Heavenly Way") is an indigenous syncretic belief combining elements of Korean shamanism, Buddhism,
Taoism and Catholicism that is officially represented by the WPK-controlled Chongu Party.[221] In contrast, the Open Doors
mission claims the most severe persecution of Christians in the world occurs in North Korea.[222] Four state-sanctioned
churches exist, but freedom of religion advocates claim these are showcases for foreigners.[223][224] Amnesty International has
also expressed concerns about religious persecution in North Korea.[225]
Formal ranking of citizen's loyalty

According to North Korean documents and refugee testimonies,[226] all North Koreans
are sorted into groups according to their Songbun, an ascribed status system based on a
citizen's assessed loyalty to the regime. Based on their own behavior and the political,
social, and economic background of their family for three generations as well as
behavior by relatives within that range, Songbun is allegedly used to determine
whether an individual is trusted with responsibility, given opportunities,[227] or even
receives adequate food.[226][228]
Songbun allegedly affects access to educational and employment opportunities and
particularly whether a person is eligible to join North Korea's ruling party.[227] There
are 3 main classifications and about 50 sub-classifications. According to Kim Il-sung,
Sneaker-wearing North Korean
speaking in 1958, the loyal "core class" constituted 25% of the North Korean
youths walking in Pyongyang.
population, the "wavering class" 55%, and the "hostile class" 20%.[226] The highest
status is accorded to individuals descended from those who participated with Kim
Il-sung in the resistance against Japanese occupation during and before World War II and to those who were factory workers,
laborers, or peasants in 1950.[229]
While some analysts believe private commerce recently changed the Songbun system to some extent,[230] most North Korean
refugees say it remains a commanding presence in everyday life.[226] However the North Korean government claims all
citizens are equal and denies any discrimination on the basis of family background.[231]
Human rights
North Korea is widely accused of having one of the worst human rights records in
the world.[233] North Koreans have been referred to as "some of the world's most
brutalized people" by Human Rights Watch, because of the severe restrictions
placed on their political and economic freedoms.[234][235] The North Korean
population is strictly managed by the state and all aspects of daily life are
subordinated to party and state planning. Employment is managed by the party on
the basis of political reliability, and travel is tightly controlled by the Ministry of
People's Security.[236]
Amnesty International also reports of severe restrictions on the freedom of
association, expression and movement, arbitrary detention, torture and other
ill-treatment resulting in death, and executions.[237] North Korea also applies
capital punishment, including public executions. Human rights organizations
estimate that 1,193 executions had been carried out in the country by 2009.[238]
A map of political prison camps in North

Korea. An estimated 40% of prisoners
die of malnutrition.[232]
The State Security Department extrajudicially apprehends and imprisons those

accused of political crimes without due process.[239] People perceived as hostile to
the government, such as Christians or critics of the leadership,[240] are deported to
labor camps without trial,[241] often with their whole family and mostly without any chance of being released.[242]
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Based on satellite images and defector testimonies, Amnesty International estimates that around 200,000 prisoners are held in
six large political prison camps,[240][243] where they are forced to work in conditions approaching slavery.[244] Supporters of
the government who deviate from the government line are subject to reeducation in sections of labor camps set aside for that
purpose. Those who are deemed politically rehabilitated may reassume responsible government positions on their release.[245]
North Korean defectors[246] have provided detailed testimonies on the existence of the total control zones where abuses such
as torture, starvation, rape, murder, medical experimentation, forced labor, and forced abortions have been reported.[136] On
the basis of these abuses, as well as persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, forcible transfer of
populations, enforced disappearance of persons and forced starvation, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry has accused
North Korea of crimes against humanity.[247][248][249] The International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North
Korea (ICNK) estimates that over 10,000 people die in North Korean prison camps every year.[250]
The North Korean government rejects the human rights abuses claims, calling them "a smear campaign" and a "human rights
racket" aimed at regime change.[251][252][253] In a report to the UN, North Korea dismissed accusations of atrocities as "wild
rumors". The government also admitted some human rights issues related to living conditions and stated that it is working to
improve them.[254]
Economy
North Korea has been maintaining one of the most closed and centralized economies in the world since the 1940s.[255] For
several decades it followed the Soviet pattern of five-year plans with the ultimate goal of achieving self-sufficiency. Extensive
Soviet and Chinese support allowed North Korea to rapidly recover from the Korean War and register very high growth rates.
Systematic inefficiency began to arise around 1960, when the economy shifted from the extensive to the intensive
development stage. The shortage of skilled labor, energy, arable land and transportation significantly impeded long-term
growth and resulted in consistent failure to meet planning objectives.[256] The major slowdown of the economy contrasted
with South Korea, which surpassed the North in terms of absolute Gross Domestic Product and per capita income by the
1980s.[257] North Korea declared the last seven-year plan unsuccessful in December 1993 and thereafter abandoned
planning.[258]
The loss of Eastern Bloc trading partners and a series of natural disasters throughout the 1990s caused severe hardships,
including widespread famine. By 2000, the situation improved owing to a massive international food assistance effort, but the
economy continues to suffer from food shortages, dilapidated infrastructure and a critically low energy supply.[259] In an
attempt to recover from the collapse, the government began structural reforms in 1998 that formally legalized private
ownership of assets and decentralized control over production.[260] A second round of reforms in 2002 led to an expansion of
market activities, partial monetization, flexible prices and salaries, and the introduction of incentives and accountability
techniques.[261] Despite these changes, which were reportedly reversed soon after implementation,[207] North Korea remains a
command economy where the state owns almost all means of production and development priorities are defined by the
government.[259]
North Korea has the structural profile of a relatively industrialized country[262] where nearly half of the Gross Domestic
Product is generated by industry[263] and human development is at medium levels.[264] Purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP is
estimated at $40 billion,[265] with a very low per capita value of $1,800.[266] In 2012, Gross national income per capita was
$1,523, compared to $28,430 in South Korea.[267] The North Korean won is the national currency, issued by the Central Bank
of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The economy is heavily nationalized.[268] Food and housing are extensively subsidized by the state; education and healthcare
are free;[269] and the payment of taxes was officially abolished in 1974.[270] A variety of goods are available in department
stores and supermarkets in Pyongyang,[271] though most of the population relies on small-scale janmadang markets.[272][273]
In 2009, the government attempted to stem the expanding free market by banning janmadang and the use of foreign
currency,[259] heavily devaluing the won and restricting the convertibility of savings in the old currency,[207] but the resulting
inflation spike and rare public protests caused a reversal of these policies.[274] Private trade is dominated by women because
most men are required to be present at their workplace, even though many state-owned enterprises are non-operational.[275]
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Industry and services employ 65%[276] of North Korea's 12.6 million labor force.[277]
Major industries include machine building, military equipment, chemicals, mining,
metallurgy, textiles, food processing and tourism.[278] Iron ore and coal production are
among the few sectors where North Korea performs significantly better than its
southern neighbor it produces about 10 times larger amounts of each resource.[279]
The agricultural sector was shattered by the natural disasters of the 1990s.[280] Its
3,500 cooperatives and state farms[281] were among the most productive and
successful in the world around 1980[282] but now experience chronic fertilizer and
An industrial plant in Hamhung.
equipment shortages. Rice, corn, soybeans and potatoes are some of the primary
crops.[259] A significant contribution to the food supply comes from commercial
fishing and aquaculture.[259] Tourism has been a growing sector for the past decade.[283] North Korea aims to increase the
number of foreign visitors from 200,000 to one million by 2016 through projects like the Masikryong Ski Resort.[284]
Foreign trade surpassed pre-crisis levels in 2005 and continues to expand.[285] North Korea has a number of special economic
zones (SEZs) and Special Administrative Regions where foreign companies can operate with tax and tariff incentives while
North Korean establishments gain access to improved technology.[286] Initially four such zones existed, but they yielded little
overall success.[287] The SEZ system was overhauled in 2013 when 14 new zones were opened and the Rason Special
Economic Zone was reformed as a joint Chinese-North Korean project.[288] The Kaesong Industrial Region is a special
economic zone where more than 100 South Korean companies employ some 52,000 North Korean workers.[289] Outside interKorean trade, more than 89% of external trade is conducted with China. Russia is the second-largest foreign partner with $100
million worth of imports and exports for the same year.[290] In 2014, Russia wrote off 90% of North Korea's debt and the two
countries agreed to conduct all transactions in rubles.[291][292] Overall, external trade in 2013 reached a total of $7.3 billion
(the highest amount since 1990[290]), while inter-Korean trade dropped to an eight-year low of $1.1 billion.[293]
Infrastructure
North Korea's energy infrastructure is obsolete and in disrepair. Power shortages are
chronic and would not be alleviated even by electricity imports because the poorly
maintained grid causes significant losses during transmission.[294] Coal accounts for 70%
of primary energy production, followed by hydroelectric power with 17%.[295] The
government under Kim Jong-un has increased emphasis on renewable energy projects
like wind farms, solar parks, solar heating and biomass.[296] A set of legal regulations
adopted in 2014 stressed the development of geothermal, wind and solar energy along
with recycling and environmental conservation.[296][297]
A Soviet-built M62 diesel unit at

Pyongyang Station
North Korea also strives to develop its own civilian nuclear program. These efforts are
under much international dispute due to their military applications and concerns about
safety.[298] Russian energy company Gazprom has a project for a $2.5 billion gas pipeline
to South Korea through Pyongyang, which is expected to generate an annual revenue of
$100 million from transit fees.[299][300]
Transport infrastructure includes railways, highways, water and air routes, but rail
Tupolev Tu-204 of Air Koryo
transport is by far the most widespread. North Korea has some 5,200 kilometres of
over Vladivostok Airport
railways mostly in standard gauge which carry 80% of annual passenger traffic and 86%
of freight, but electricity shortages undermine their efficiency.[295] Construction of a
high-speed railway connecting Kaesong, Pyongyang and Sinuiju with speeds exceeding 200 km/h was approved in 2013.[301]
North Korea connects with the Trans-Siberian Railway through Rajin.[302]
Road transport is very limited only 724 kilometers of the 25,554 kilometer road network are paved,[303] and maintenance
on most roads is poor.[304] Only 2% of the freight capacity is supported by river and sea transport, and air traffic is
negligible.[295] All port facilities are ice-free and host a merchant fleet of 158 vessels.[305] Eighty-two airports[306] and 23
helipads[307] are operational and the largest serve the state-run airline, Air Koryo.[295] Cars are relatively rare, but bicycles are
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common.[308]
Science and technology

R&D efforts are concentrated at the State Academy of Sciences, which runs 40 research
institutes, 200 smaller research centers, a scientific equipment factory and six publishing
houses.[309] The government considers science and technology to be directly linked to
economic development.[310][311] A five-year scientific plan emphasizing IT,
The Korean Peninsula at night.
biotechnology, nanotechnology, marine and plasma research was carried out in the early
North Korea is almost completely
2000s.[310] A 2010 report by the South Korean Science and Technology Policy Institute
dark, the bright spot is Pyongyang
identified polymer chemistry, animal cloning, single carbon materials, nanoscience,
mathematics, software, nuclear technology and rocketry as potential areas of inter-Korean
scientific cooperation. North Korean institutes are strong in these fields of research, although their engineers require
additional training and laboratories need equipment upgrades.[312]
Under its "constructing a powerful knowledge economy" slogan, the state has launched a
project to concentrate education, scientific research and production into a number of
"high-tech development zones". However, international sanctions remain a significant obstacle
to their development.[313] The Miraewon network of electronic libraries was established in
2014 under similar slogans.[314]
Significant resources have been allocated to the national space program, which is managed by
the Korean Committee of Space Technology.[315] Domestically produced launch vehicles and
the Kwangmyngsng satellite class are launched from two spaceports, the Tonghae Satellite
Launching Ground and the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. After four failed attempts,
North Korea became the tenth spacefaring nation with the launch of Kwangmyngsng-3 Unit
2 in December 2012, which successfully reached orbit but was believed to be crippled and
non-operational.[316][317] It joined the Outer Space Treaty in 2009[318] and has stated its
intentions to undertake manned and Moon missions.[315] The government insists the space
program is for peaceful purposes, but the United States, Japan, South Korea and other
countries maintain that it serves to advance military ballistic missile programs.[319]
Unha-3 space launch vehicle

at Sohae Satellite Launching
Station
Usage of communication technology is controlled by the Ministry of Post and

Telecommunications. An adequate nationwide fiber-optic telephone system with 1.18 million fixed lines[320] and expanding
mobile coverage is in place.[321] Most phones are installed for senior government officials and installation requires written
explanation why the user needs a telephone and how it will be paid for.[322] Cellular coverage is available with a 3G network
operated by Koryolink, a joint venture with Orascom Telecom Holding.[323] The number of subscribers has increased from
3,000 in 2002[324] to almost two million in 2013.[323] International calls through either fixed or cellular service are restricted,
and mobile Internet is not available.[323]
Internet access itself is limited to a handful of elite users and scientists. Instead, North Korea has a walled garden intranet
system called Kwangmyong,[325] which is maintained and monitored by the Korea Computer Center.[326] Its content is limited
to state media, chat services, message boards,[325] an e-mail service and an estimated 1,000-5,500 websites.[327] Computers
employ the Red Star OS, an operating system derived from Linux, with a user shell visually similar to OS X.[327]
Culture
Despite a historically strong Chinese influence, Korean culture has shaped its own unique identity.[328] It came under attack
during the Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945, when Japan enforced a cultural assimilation policy. Koreans were encouraged to
learn and speak Japanese, adopt the Japanese family name system and Shinto religion, and were forbidden to write or speak
the Korean language in schools, businesses, or public places.[329]
After the peninsula was divided in 1945, two distinct cultures formed out of the common Korean heritage. North Koreans
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have little exposure to foreign influence[330] The revolutionary struggle

and the brilliance of the leadership are some of the main themes in art.
"Reactionary" elements from traditional culture have been discarded and
cultural forms with a "folk" spirit have been reintroduced.[330]
Korean heritage is protected and maintained by the state.[331] Over 190
historical sites and objects of national significance are cataloged as
National Treasures of North Korea, while some 1,800 less valuable
artifacts are included in a list of Cultural Assets. The Historic Sites and
Monuments in Kaesong and the Complex of Goguryeo Tombs are
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[332]
Art
Pyohunsa Buddhist Temple, a National Treasure of

North Korea.
Visual arts are generally produced in the aesthetics of Socialist realism.[333] North Korean painting combines the influence of
Soviet and Japanese visual expression to instill a sentimental loyalty to the system.[334] All artists in North Korea are required
to join the Artists' Union, and the best among them can receive an official licence to portray the leaders. Portraits and
sculptures depicting Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un are classed as "Number One works".[333]
Most aspects of art have been dominated by Mansudae Art Studio since its establishment in 1959. It employs around 1,000
artists in what is likely the biggest art factory in the world where paintings, murals, posters and monuments are designed and
produced.[335] The studio has commercialized its activity and sells its works to collectors in a variety of countries including
China, where it is in high demand.[334] Mansudae Overseas Projects is a subdivision of Mansudae Art Studio that carries out
construction of large-scale monuments for international customers.[335] Some of the projects include the African Renaissance
Monument in Senegal,[336] and the Heroes' Acre in Namibia.[337]
Music
The government emphasized optimistic folk-based tunes and revolutionary
KPA State Chorus
Moranbong Band
music throughout most of the 20th century.[330] Ideological messages are
Song of Comradeship Let us Dash towards the Future
conveyed through massive orchestral pieces like the "Five Great
Revolutionary Operas" based on traditional Korean ch'angguk.[338]
Revolutionary operas differ from their Western counterparts by adding
traditional instruments to the orchestra and avoiding recitative
segments.[339] Sea of Blood is the most widely performed of the Five Great Operas: since its premiere in 1971, it has been
played over 1,500 times,[340] and its 2010 tour in China was a major success.[339] Western classical music by Brahms,
Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and other composers is performed both by the State Symphony Orchestra and student orchestras.[341]
Pop music appeared in the 1980s with the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble and Wangjaesan Light Music Band.[342] Improved
relations with South Korea following the Inter-Korean Summit caused a decline in direct ideological messages in pop songs,
but themes like comradeship, nostalgia and the construction of a powerful country remained.[343] Today, the all-girl
Moranbong Band is the most popular group in the country.[344] North Koreans have also been exposed to K-pop which
spreads through illegal markets.[345]
Literature
Unlike the former Soviet Union, no literary underground exists and there are no known dissident writers.[346] All publishing
houses are owned by the government or the WPK because they are considered an important tool for propaganda and
agitation.[347] The Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House is the most authoritative among them and publishes all works of
Kim Il-sung, ideological education materials and party policy documents.[348] Foreign literature did not appear until 1984,
when North Korean editions of Indian, German, Chinese and Russian fairy tales, Tales from Shakespeare and some works of
Bertolt Brecht and Erich Kstner were printed.[334]
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Kim Il-sung's personal works are considered "classical masterpieces"

while the ones created under his instruction are labeled "models of Juche
literature". These include The Fate of a Self-Defense Corps Man, The
Song of Korea and Immortal History, a series of historical novels
depicting the suffering of Koreans under Japanese occupation.[330][338]
More than four million literary works were published between the 1980s
and the early 2000s, but almost all of them belong to a narrow variety of
political genres like "army-first revolutionary literature".[349]
Science fiction is considered a secondary genre because it somewhat
departs from the traditional standards of detailed descriptions and
metaphors of the leader. The exotic settings of the stories give authors
more freedom to depict cyberwarfare, violence, sexual abuse and crime,
which are absent in other genres. Sci-fi works glorify technology and
promote the Juche concept of anthropocentric existence through
depictions of robotics, space exploration and immortality.[350]
A North Korean bookstore with works of Kim

Il-sung and Kim Jong-il
Media
Government policies towards film are no different than those applied to other arts motion pictures serve to fulfill the targets
of "social education". Some of the most influential films are based on historic events (An Jung-geun shoots It Hirobumi) or
folk tales (Hong Gildong).[338] Most movies have predictable propaganda story lines which make cinema an unpopular
entertainment. Viewers only see films that feature their favorite actors.[346] Western productions are only available at private
showings to high-ranking Party members,[351] although the 1997 Titanic is frequently shown to university students as an
example of Western culture.[352] Access to foreign media products is available through smuggled DVDs and television or
radio broadcasts in border areas.[353]
North Korean media are under some of the strictest government control in the world. Freedom of the press in 2013 was 177th
out of 178 countries in a Reporters Without Borders index.[354] According to Freedom House, all media outlets serve as
government mouthpieces, all journalists are Party members and listening to foreign broadcasts carries the threat of a death
penalty.[355] The main news provider is the Korean Central News Agency. All 12 newspapers and 20 periodicals, including
Rodong Sinmun, are published in the capital.[356]
There are three state-owned TV stations. Two of them broadcast only on weekends and the Korean Central Television is on air
every day in the evenings.[357] Uriminzokkiri and its associated YouTube and Twitter accounts distribute imagery, news and
video issued by government media.[358] The Associated Press opened the first Western all-format, full-time bureau in
Pyongyang in 2012.[359]
Bias in reporting on North Korea has occurred in international media as a result of the country's isolation. Nonsensical stories
like Kim Jong-un undergoing surgery to look like his grandfather, executing his ex-girlfriend or feeding his uncle to a pack of
hungry dogs have been circulated by foreign media as truth despite the lack of a credible source.[360] Many of the claims
originate from the South Korean right-wing newspaper The Chosun Ilbo.[361] Max Fischer of The Washington Post has written
that "almost any story [on North Korea] is treated as broadly credible, no matter how outlandish or thinly sourced".[362]
Occasional deliberate disinformation on the part of North Korean establishments further complicates the issue.[360]
Cuisine
Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and
nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and the Korean peninsula, it has gone through a complex interaction of the natural
environment and different cultural trends.[363] Rice dishes and kimchi are staple Korean food. In a traditional meal, they
accompany both side dishes (panch'an) and main courses like juk, pulgogi or noodles. Soju liquor is the best-known
traditional Korean spirit.[364]
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North Korea's most famous restaurant, Okryugwan, is known for its raengmyeon
cold noodles.[365] Other dishes served there include gray mullet soup with boiled
rice, beef rib soup, green bean pancake, sinsollo and dishes made from terrapin.
[366][367] Okryugwan sends research teams into the countryside to collect data on
Korean cuisine and introduce new recipes.[365] Some Asian cities host branches of
the Pyongyang restaurant chain where waitresses perform music and dance.[368]
Sports
North Korean bibimbap.
North Koreans have an almost obsessive sports mentality and most schools have
daily practice in association football, basketball, table tennis, gymnastics, boxing and
others. The DPR Korea League is popular inside the country and its games are often
televised.[346] The national football team, Chollima, competed in the FIFA World Cup in
2010, when it lost all three matches against Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast.[369] Its 1966
appearance was much more successful, seeing a surprise 1-0 victory over Italy and a
quarter final loss to Portugal by 3-5.[370] A national team represents the nation in
international basketball competitions as well. In December 2013, former American
basketball professional Dennis Rodman visited North Korea to help train the national
team after he developed a friendship with Kim Jong-un.[371]
North Korea's first appearance in the Olympics came in 1964. The 1972 Olympics saw its
summer games debut and five medals, including one gold. With the exception of the
boycotted Los Angeles and Seoul Olympics, North Korean athletes have won medals in
all summer games since then.[372] Weightlifter Kim Un-guk broke the world record of the
Men's 62 kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[373] Successful
Olympians receive luxury apartments from the state in recognition for their
achievements.[374]
A scene from the 2012 Arirang

Festival
North Korea (in red) against

Brazil at the 2010 FIFA World
Cup
The Arirang Festival has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the biggest
choreographic event in the world.[375] Some 100,000 athletes perform rhythmic
gymnastics and dances while another 40,000 participants create a vast animated screen in
the background. The event is an artistic representation of the country's history and pays homage to Kim Il-sung and Kim
Jong-il.[375][376] Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, the largest stadium in the world with its capacity of 150,000, hosts the
Festival.[376][377] The Pyongyang Marathon is another notable sports event. It is a IAAF Bronze Label Race where amateur
runners from around the world can participate.[378]
See also
Index of North Korea-related articles
List of documentary films about North Korea
North Korea Uncovered
Outline of North Korea
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360. O'Carroll, Chad (6 January 2014). "North Korea's invisible phone, killer dogs and other such stories - why the world is transfixed"
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/10554198/North-Koreas-invisible-phone-killer-dogs-and-othersuch-stories-why-the-world-is-transfixed.html). The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
361. Taylor, Adam (29 August 2013). "Why You Shouldn't Necessarily Trust Those Reports Of Kim Jong-un Executing His
Ex-Girlfriend" (http://www.businessinsider.com/did-kim-jong-un-execute-his-ex-girlfriend-2013-8). businessinsider.com. Business
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/17/northkorea). The Guardian. 17 May 2002. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
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Yonhap T'ongsin. ISBN 0-7656-1004-3.
External links
Government sites
http://kcna.kp/ (http://kcna.kp/kcna.user.home.retrieveHomeInfoList.kcmsf?lang=eng) The website of the Korean
Central News Agency
naenara.com.kp/en/ (http://naenara.com.kp/en/) The official North Korean governmental portal Naenara
Official webpage of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (http://www.korea-dpr.com/) maintained by the
Korean Friendship Association
General sites
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies
/HRC/CoIDPRK/Pages/ReportoftheCommissionofInquiryDPRK.aspx) Report by the Commission of Inquiry on
Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
North Korea (https://www.dmoz.org/Regional/Asia/North_Korea) at DMOZ
North Korea (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html) entry at The World Factbook
North Korea profile (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15256929) from the BBC News
North Korea (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322222/North-Korea) Encyclopdia Britannica entry
Wikimedia Atlas of North Korea
Geographic data related to North Korea (http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/relation/192734) at OpenStreetMap
North Korea (http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/nkorea.htm) Link Collection (University of Colorado at
Boulder Libraries GovPubs)
Amnesty International: North Korea: Political Prison Camps (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA24/001/2011
/en/2671e54f-1cd1-46c1-96f1-6a463efa6f65/asa240012011en.pdf) - Document on conditions in North Korean prison
camps
"Show and Tell Pyongyang" (http://ashen-rus.livejournal.com/) A blog, often with images, in Russian
Article about Show and Tell Pyongyang (http://nknews.org/2011/01/christmas-and-new-years-celebrations-in-the-dprk/)
in English on NK News
The Daily NK: The Hub of North Korean News (http://www.dailynk.com/english/index.php) News about North
Korea and human rights
The website of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries at friend.com.kp
(http://www.friend.com.kp/index.php?module=home&current_language=en)
8/4/2015 9:15 PM
36 of 36
Korea Education Fund (http://www.koredufund.org.kp/) (Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120831020221/http:

//www.koredufund.org.kp/) 31 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine)
The website of the digital edition of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper at rodong.rep.kp (http://www.rodong.rep.kp/en/)
Profiles of North Korean Cities [1] (http://www.univie.ac.at/koreanologie/index.php?id=north-korean-cities)
Images
Flickr tags: North Korea (https://secure.flickr.com/photos/tags/northkorea/). Sets: [2] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos
/mytripsmypics/sets/72157604812751507/), [3] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics
/sets/72157627770809988/), [4] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/sets/72157628202096001/), [5]
(https://secure.flickr.com/photos/samgellman/sets/72157627661307874/), [6] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos
/shining75/sets/72157631582514433/), [7] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/sets/72157628202062371/),
[8] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/sets/72157628202040649/), [9] (https://secure.flickr.com/photos
/mytripsmypics/sets/72157628201763951/). Groups: [10] (https://secure.flickr.com/groups/dprk/pool/), [11]
(https://secure.flickr.com/groups/northkorea/pool/)
Inside North Korea (http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/45314,news-comment,news-politics,inside-north-korea-rare-insightinto-a-very-foreign-country) slideshow by The First Post
North Korea's official flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/uriminzok/), uriminzok,
Videos
uriminzokkiri's channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/uriminzokkiri) on YouTube
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Korea&oldid=674511048"
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North Korea - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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North Korea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 4000N 12700E

North Korea ( listen), officially the Democratic People's

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Chosn Minjujui Inmin Konghwaguk[1]

Kangsng Daeguk (Korean Romanization)

The Empire of Japan annexed Korea in 1910. After the Japanese

Powerful and Prosperous Nation

Aegukka (Korean Romanization)

Area controlled by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shown in

North Korean Korean

Juche single-party state (various

Supreme People's Assembly