North Korea (Puk Chosŏn, in Han'geul 북조선; in Hanja 北朝鮮; Buk Han, in Han'geul: 북한; in Hanja: 北韓 is also found in South Korean media), officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, Chosun Minchu-chui Inmin Konghwa-guk, in Han'geul: 조선민주주의 인민공화국; in Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a nation that covers the northern half of Korea. Kim Jong Il has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's founder, President Kim Il Sung, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the isolated North relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population, while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of over 1 million, the fifth largest in the world. North Korea's long-range missile development and research into nuclear and chemical weapons are of major concern to the international community (see KEDO). North Korea is the world's last outpost of Stalinism.
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| National motto: One is sure to win if he believes in and depends upon the people | |||||
| Official language | Korean | ||||
| Capital | P'yŏngyang | ||||
| President | Kim Jong Il | ||||
| Prime Minister | Hong Song-nam | ||||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 98th 120,540 km² 0.1% | ||||
| Population
- Density | Ranked 49th
182.25/km² | ||||
| Independence | September 9, 1948 | ||||
| Currency | North Korean won | ||||
| Time zone | UTC + 9 | ||||
| National anthem | A ch'im un pinnara, i kangsan ungum e | ||||
| Internet TLD | None (but .KP is reserved) | ||||
| Calling Code | 850 | ||||
History
Following World War II, Korea was split into a northern, communist half and a southern, Western-oriented half. North Korea was formed on September 9, 1948 amidst the power vacuum the resulted from the defeat of Japan in World War II (Japan ruled the Korean peninsula from 1910-1945).
With the backing of the Soviet Union, Kim Il-Sung started on a series of popular social and economic reforms which included land redistribution and nationalizing Japanese assets.
The Korean War, which soon followed the formation of the country, resulted from political differences that couldn't be reconciled between the communist north and the American-controlled south. The Soviet Union and the United States entered the conflict in order to prevent all of Korea from falling into the other side's hands. A formal division of the peninsula was established in 1948 forming a de-facto front. The conflict lasted from 1950 to 1953 and inflicted heavy human losses in North Korea and closer ties with the Soviets.
After the war support from the Soviet Union waned, and Kim Il-sung started to move towards "self-reliance" or Juche in the 1950s. Some degree of industrial and economic gains resulted from these strategies, and throughout the 1960's and early 1970's, it was unclear that the developmental model of North Korea was inferior to South Korea and the other East Asian Tigers. However, by the mid-1970s a more expensive oil along with a growing technology gap with the rest of the world undermined the reforms. Instead of turning to real reform like China, Kim Il-sung opted for an ideological purity of his economic policy under a rigid state-controlled system. This resulted in worsening problems that were made worse by large military expenditures.
North Korea defaulted on almost all of its loans in 1980 and by the late 1980s industrial output was declining by greater than 4% per year. In spite of this, Kim Il-sung refused to allow private enterprise or open the nation to foreign investment.
Kim Il-sung died in 1994, and following a power struggle that left the country without a clear leader from 1994-1997, his son, Kim Jong-il, took control of the country in October 1997.
Following the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, the George W. Bush Administration named North Korea as part of the so-called "Axis of Evil."
In late 2002, North Korean officials expelled United Nations weapons inspectors and admitted running a clandestine nuclear weapons program in violation of international agreements. They also indicated that they were going to continue this program unless the United States agreed to a non-invasion pact. (See: North Korea nuclear weapons program)
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Geography
Main article: Geography of North Korea
(Subdivisions)
Main article: (Subdivisions) of North Korea
Economy
Main article: Economy of North Korea
North Korea ranks among the world's most centrally planned and isolated economies. The resulting economic distortions and the government's reluctance to publicize economic data limit the amount of reliable information available. State-owned industry produces nearly all manufactured goods, and the regime continues to devote its focus on heavy and military industries at the expense of light and consumer industries. Economic conditions remain stagnant at best and the country's deepening economic slide has been fueled by acute energy shortages, poorly maintained and aging industrial facilities, and a lack of new investment. The agricultural outlook, though slightly improved over previous years, remains weak. The combined effects of serious fertilizer shortages, successive natural disasters, and structural constraints - such as marginal arable land and a short growing season - have reduced staple grain output to more than 1 million tons less than what the country needs to meet even minimum international requirements. The steady flow of international food aid has been critical in meeting the population's basic food needs. The impact of other forms of humanitarian assistance such as medical supplies and agricultural assistance largely has been limited to local areas. Even with aid, malnutrition rates are among the world's highest and estimates of mortality range in the hundreds of thousands as a direct result of starvation or famine-related diseases.
| File:Korea (44).jpg A stadium forms the image of Kim Il Sung |
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Politics
Main article: Politics of North Korea
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of North Korea
Culture
Main article: Culture of North Korea
Tourism
An official escort/guide is compulsory. Citizens of the US and South Korea may or may not be allowed to visit the country, depending on the diplomatic relations.
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 16th | Kim Jong Il's Birthday |
Miscellaneous topics
External Links
- Official website: http://www.korea-dpr.com/
- News from the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA): http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm
- Site on North and South Korea: http://www.koreascope.org/newdocs/english/sub/13/ks13.htm