Misplaced Pages

North Korea: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 23:43, 10 October 2006 view source207.200.116.10 (talk) KILL THE FUCKING GOOKS!!! DIE GOOKS, DIE!!!!← Previous edit Revision as of 23:43, 10 October 2006 view source Zsinj (talk | contribs)Administrators16,127 editsm Reverted edits by 207.200.116.10 (talk) to last version by ZsinjNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox Country|
KILL THE FUCKING GOOKS!!! DIE GOOKS, DIE!!!!
native_name = 조선민주주의인민공화국<br>朝鮮民主主義人民共和國<br>''Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk''<ref>{{cite web|title = Administrative Divisions and Population Figures (#26)|work=NORTH KOREA: The Land of the Morning Calm|publisher = Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use|date=2003-04|url = http://www.pcgn.org.uk/North%20Korea-%20Land%20of%20the%20Morning%20Calm-%202003.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate = 2006-10-10}}</ref> |
conventional_long_name = Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
conventional_short_name = DPR Korea |
common_name = North Korea |
image_flag = Flag of North Korea.svg |
image_coat = Coat of Arms of North Korea.png|20px |
national_motto = ''Prosperous and Great Country (강성대국)'' <ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0607/08/cst.04.html </ref>|
image_map = LocationNorthKorea.png |
national_anthem = '']'' |
official_languages = ]|
capital = ] |latd=39|latm=2|latNS=N|longd=125|longm=45|longEW=E|
government_type=]|
leader_title1 = ]|
leader_title2 = ] |
leader_title3 = ] |
leader_title4 = ] |
leader_name1 = ] (deceased, ])|
leader_name2 = ]<sup>1</sup> |
leader_name3 = ]<sup>2</sup> |
leader_name4 = ] |
largest_city = ] |
area = 120,540 |
areami²= 46,528 <!-- Do not remove per ] -->|
area_rank = 98th|
area_magnitude = 1 E12|
percent_water = 4.87% |
population_estimate = 23,113,019<sup>3</sup> |
population_estimate_year = 2006 |
population_estimate_rank = 48th |
population_census = N/A |
population_census_year = |
population_density = 190 |
population_densitymi² =492 <!-- Do not remove per ] --> |
population_density_rank = 55th |
GDP_PPP_year = 2005 |
GDP_PPP = $40 billion|
GDP_PPP_rank = 85th |
GDP_PPP_per_capita = $1,800|
GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 149th |
HDI_year = 2003 |
HDI = NA |
HDI_rank = unranked |
HDI_category = <font color=gray>NA</font> |
sovereignty_type = ] |
established_event1 = ]|
established_event2 = ]|
established_event3 = ]|
established_event4 = Republic |
established_date1 = 2333 BC (legendary)|
established_date2 = ], ] (symbolic)|
established_date3 = ], ]|
established_date4 = ], ] |
currency = ] (₩) |
currency_code = KPW |
time_zone = |
utc_offset = +9 |
DST_note = Does not observe DST |
time_zone_DST = |
utc_offset_DST = |
cctld = none, ] reserved |
calling_code = 850 |
footnotes=<sup>1</sup>] is the nation's most prominent leading figure and a government figure head, although he is not the head of state or the head of government; his official title is ], a position which he has held since 1994<br><sup>2</sup>] is the "] for foreign affairs"; <br><sup>3</sup>Source: CIA World Factbook . North Korea does not disclose figures.|
}}

The '''Democratic People's Republic of Korea''' ('''DPRK'''), more commonly known as '''North Korea''', is an ]n ] situated on the northern half of the ]. Its border is shared predominantly with the ]. ] shares an 18.3 ] (11.4 ]) border along the ] in the far northeast corner of the country. To the south, it is bordered by ], with which it formed one territorial unit known as ] until 1945.

Its government defines itself as a ]-led democratic multi-party<ref>http://www.kcckp.net/en/great/political.php. Retrieved 10 October 2006</ref> state of the ] political ], although it is thought to function as a ] in practice. The government's Juche ideology demands absolute loyalty from the citizenry (see ]). It uses a ] to implement its economic and social policies. Its ideological stance on issues such as the mass line, the role of intellectuals, and the source of revolutionary fervor mark North Korea's government as different from the ] ] or ] ].


==Name==
{{main|Names of Korea}}
North Korea's official name is ''Chosŏn Minjŭjuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk'' (], lit. "] Democratic People's Republic") or, more commonly, ''Pukchosŏn'' (북조선, "North Chosŏn") or simply ''Chosŏn'' (조선, "Chosŏn"). ''Chosŏn'' is a reference to the ].

==History==
{{main|History of North Korea}}

In the aftermath of the ] which ended with Japan's defeat in ] in 1945, Korea was divided by the ] north of the ] and by the ] south of the 38th parallel. The Korean people were not consulted by either power prior to this division. While virtually all Koreans welcomed liberation from Japanese imperial rule, they objected to the reimposition of foreign rule over the peninsula. The Soviets and Americans were unable to agree on the implementation of Joint Trusteeship over Korea. This led in 1948 to the establishment of separate governments in the north and south, each claiming to be the legitimate government of all of Korea.

Growing tensions between the governments in the north and south and border skirmishes eventually led to a civil war called the ]. On ], ] the ] attacked across the 38th Parallel in a move to reunify the peninsula under their political system. The war continued until ], ], when the ] Command, the Korean People's Army, and the ] signed the . The ] has separated the North and South ever since.

] (right) with son ]]]
North Korea was led by ] from 1948 until his death on ], ]. He delegated most domestic matters to his son, ], toward the end of his life. Three years after his father's death, on ], ], Kim Jong-il was named ] of the Korean Workers' Party. In 1998, the legislature reconfirmed him as ] and declared that position as the "highest office of state." International relations generally improved, and there was a historic North-South summit between the two Koreas in June 2000. However, tensions with the ] have increased recently as North Korea resumed the development of a ] and, on ], ], conducted ], as well as ] on ], ]. The United Nations called an emergency meeting to respond to the nuclear test.

In the 1970s the country's economy grew at a significant rate and, until 1975, was considered to be stronger than that in the South. However, under ]'s rule in the mid-to-late 1990s, the country's economy declined significantly, and food shortages developed in many areas. According to aid groups, millions of people in rural areas starved to death due to ], exacerbated by a collapse in the food distribution system . Large numbers of North Koreans illegally entered the People's Republic of China in search of food. ], International Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party, defected to South Korea in 1997.

In August of 2006, the DPRK declared the ] that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War "null and void."

:''See also: ], ]''

==Politics and government==
], leader of North Korea]]
], Pyongyang]]
{{Politics of North Korea}}
{{main|Politics of North Korea}}
North Korea is widely considered to be one of the few remaining ]s. The government is dominated by the ], to which 80 percent of government officials belong. The official ideology of the KWP is known as ] (self-reliance), a political philosophy first developed by Kim Il-Sung and then expanded upon by his son, the current leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong-il. Although the KWP replaced mentions of ] in the North Korean constitution with Juche in 1977, the constitution retains mentions of ] and ] and Kim Jeong Il and the Korean Workers Party continue to claim to be Marxist-Leninist. Many ] outside North Korea deny that the KWP is still a communist organisation or that North Korea is still socialist. Minor ] also participate in elections, although in practice present no opposition. The exact power structure of the country is debated by outside observers. North Korea has been characterized by a professor at the American ]<ref>{{cite web|title = Dr. Andrew Scobell|publisher = Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College|date = 2003-12-05|url = http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/people.cfm?q=5|accessdate = 2006-09-20}}</ref> as "highly repressive, heavily militarized, strongly resistant to reform, and ruled by a ] ]ship that adheres to a hybrid ideology. While distinctive, North Korea is an orthodox communist party-state best classified as an eroding ] regime."<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Scobell
| first = Andrew
| title = Making Sense of North Korea: Pyongyang and Comparative Communism (abstract of)
| journal = Asian Security
| volume = 1
| issue = 3
| pages = 245-266
| publisher = Taylor & Francis
| date = December 2005
| url = http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/(4sn5q5fn5q4sohzc32rl2ffb)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,3,6;journal,3,5;linkingpublicationresults,1:113110,1
| doi = 10.1080/14799850500341932
| accessdate = 2006-09-19 }} (also http://www.asiansecurity.net/1-3.htm)</ref>
The Premier is the head of government, although many observers consider that effective power lies with ], head of the KWP and the military. Kim holds several official titles, the most important being ] of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defense Commission, and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. Kim is not the Head of State or the Head of Government, positions held by ] and ] respectively. Kim Jong-il is accorded the honorific "Great Leader" as part of a ] and is referred to as such by some of his western supporters. The phrase "Dear Leader" was formerly used for Kim Jong-il.

In English-language news sources from North Korea, the term "Great Leader" is very rarely used except when quoting someone refering to him affectionately as such ("]" and "]" are used more frequently). Kim Jong Il's western supporters in the ] however, frequently refer to Kim Jong Il as "Dear Leader" or "Great Leader." .

The ] refers to the late ] as the "eternal president of the republic," as the post of president was abolished after his death. The constitution gives many of the functions normally accorded to a ] to the ], whose president, currently Kim Yong Nam (no relation to Kim Jong Il) "represents the State" and receives credentials from foreign ambassadors. The government of the republic is led by the Prime Minister, currently Pak Pong-ju and a ] called the Central People's Committee (CPC), the government's top policymaking body. The CPC is headed by the President, a post which was abolished after Kim Il-sung's death, who also nominates the other committee members. The ] makes policy decisions and supervises the Cabinet, or State Administration Council (SAC). The ] is headed by a Premier and is the dominant administrative and ] agency.

The ], the Supreme People's Assembly (''Choego Inmin Hoeui''), is the highest organ of state power. Its 687 members are elected every five years by popular vote. In every district voters are offered only one candidate. The People's Assembly usually holds two annual meetings, each lasting a few days, during which it elects a standing committee. The Assembly is viewed by the west as typically ratifing decisions made by the ruling KWP (see ]). A standing committee elected by the Assembly performs ] functions when the Assembly is not in session.

''See also: ], ], ]''

==Foreign relations and military==
{{main|Military of North Korea|Foreign relations of North Korea}}
===Military===
According to Western estimates , North Korea has the fifth-largest ] in the world, with the largest percentage of citizens enlisted (49.03 active troops per thousand citizens). The North has an estimated 1.08 million armed personnel, compared with about 686,000 ]n troops (and 3.5 million paramilitary forces) plus 29,000 US troops in South Korea. Military spending is about $5 billion ].<ref name="cia"></ref> The North has perhaps the world's second-largest special operations force (55,000), designed for insertion behind enemy lines in wartime. While the North has an adequate fleet of ]s, its surface fleet has a very limited capability.

As of ], the ] comprised about 1,620 aircraft and 70,000 personnel, with roughly twice the number of aircraft as the South. Most of its aircraft are obsolete Soviet and Chinese models, but it has been modernizing since the 1980s. Aircraft holdings include 150 ]s, 30 ]s, 60 ]s, and 40 ]s. Since the 1980s, the air force has expanded its inventory of helicopters from 40 to 275. This inventory includes ]/HOPLITEs, ]/HOUNDs, and ]/HIPs. In 1985, the DPRK circumvented U.S. export controls to buy 87 U.S.-manufactured civilian model Hughes helicopters, which are more advanced than the Russian models and have probably been armed with guns and rockets. North Korea does not manufacture its own aircraft, but it does produce spare parts. The overall assessment is that the air force "has a marginal capability for defending North Korean airspace and a limited ability to conduct air operations against South Korea."

The North Korean Government reported it conducted a successful test of a nuclear weapon on October 9th, 2006. See section titled "Missiles, nuclear weapons program, and the six-party talks" below for more detail.

===Foreign relations===
] ] in 2000]]
The foreign relations of the DPRK with the ] are often regarded as relatively tense and unpredictable. Since the end of the ] in 1953, the North Korean government has been at odds with the ], ] and ], with which it is still technically at war. Since 2000 its relations with the US have greatly deteriorated, and it was called a part of the "]" and an "]" by US President ]. North Korea does not have diplomatic relations with the US at present, and the United States maintains economic sanctions against the DPRK under the ].

North Korea has maintained close relations with the ] and ], but the ] in ] in 1989 and the disintegration of the ] in 1991 resulted in a significant drop in communist aid to North Korea from Russia, although China continues to provide substantial assistance.

Although still technically at war, both the North and South Korean government proclaim that they are seeking eventual ] as a goal, however there is still significant hostility between the citizens of North and South Korea. North Korea's policy is to seek reunification without what it sees as outside interference, through a federal structure retaining each side's leadership and systems. Both North and South Korea signed the ] in which both sides made promises to seek out a peaceful reunification.

As of June 2006 ] has strengthened its ties with North Korea.

The DPRK continues to have strong ties with its socialist Asian allies in ], ] and ].

North Korea is a member of several multilateral organizations. It became a member of the ] in September 1991. North Korea also belongs to the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; and the ].

The highest level contact with the American government was ]'s 2000 visit to Pyongyang. However, the US and the DPRK have not had formal diplomatic relations and technically remain at war as the armistice never resulted in a peace treaty. Nearly 30,000 American soldiers remain in ], a military presence that the North Koreans consider aggressive and a means of preventing north/south reconciliation.

===Missiles, nuclear weapons program, and the six-party talks===
{{Current-related|2006 North Korean nuclear test}}
{{main|North Korea and weapons of mass destruction|Six-party talks|2006 North Korean nuclear test}}

On ], ], North Korea announced that it had conducted its first nuclear test. {{wikinews|North Korea announces it has conducted a successful nuclear test}} China was given 20 minutes notice of the test, and China subsequently warned Japan, Russia, and the United States. The seismic activity is disputed; the ] measured it as 4.2 on the Richter scale, while South Korean scientists placed it as 3.58. According to the Korean Central News Agency "no radioactive material leaked from that test site". (See ] for more information.)

North Korea has in the past stated that it has produced ]s and according to many ] and ] officials it has produced, or has the capability to produce, up to six or seven such devices. It also has a certain quantity of ] and 2, ], and the long-range ] and ] missiles. It has test-fired each of these missiles more than once, despite the ], initiated in 2003. The Six-party talks have been the diplomatic route used to resolve the concern brought about by North Korea's nuclear weapons program. These talks are a series of meetings with six participating states - the People's Republic of China, South Korea, North Korea, the United States of America, the Russian Federation and Japan and were a result of North Korea withdrawing from the ] in 2003. The aim of these talks is to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns raised by the North Korean nuclear weapons program.

According to Richard Saccone, an expert on Korea, in April 2006 : "After decades of hostile exchanges and months of stalled negotiations about its nuclear weapons, North Korea quietly put forward a positive signal that it is prepared to talk."

North Korea is not a signatory of the ] and states that it has the ] right to test its missiles and pursue its weapons program. The DPRK's stance on the ] with Japan is that the agreement is now void due to Japan's failure to normalize relations with the regime. US sanctions following the six-party talks are also cited by North Korea as a reason to continue missile tests and other aspects of its weapons program.
{{wikinews|North Korea says it will test a nuclear weapon in the future}}

North Korea announced on ], ], that it was going to test its first nuclear weapon regardless of the world situation, blaming 'hostile US policy' as the reason for the need for such a deterrent. However, it pledged a no-first-strike policy and to nuclear disarmament only when there is worldwide elimination of such nuclear weapons. On ], ], the state claimed to have conducted its first underground nuclear test successfully. The response from the international community was for the most part condemnation. The UN and NATO quickly held meetings to decide how to react to this situation.

===Human rights===
{{main|Human rights in North Korea}}
] and other human rights organizations accuse North Korea of having one of the worst human rights records of any nation, severely restricting most freedoms, including ] and ], both inside the country and abroad.

North Korean exiles have testified as to the existence of ]s with an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 inmates, and have reported ], ], rape, murder and ]. Japanese television aired what it said was footage of a prison camp . In some of the camps, US officials and former inmates say the annual mortality rate approaches 20% to 25% . An estimated two million civilians have been killed by the government<ref>Stéphane Courtois et al., ''The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression'', translation by Jonathan Murphy and Mark Kramer, Harvard University Press, 1999</ref> A former prison guard and army intelligence officer said that in one camp, chemical weapons were tested on prisoners in a gas chamber . According to a former prisoner, pregnant women inside the camps are often forced to have abortions or the newborn child is killed . A recent documents a young woman's forced abortion in a prison camp and subsequent escape from North Korea. The government of North Korea refuses to admit independent human rights observers to the state.

The government of North Korea has also been implicated in terrorist attacks in South Korea (Wahn Kihl 1983: 106) as well as assassinations of dissidents in nearby states

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of North Korea}}
North Korea is on the northern portion of the ]. North Korea shares land borders with ] and ] to the north, and with ] to the south. To its west are the ] and ], and to its east is the ] (which North Korea names the East Sea of Korea). Japan lies east of the peninsula across the Sea of Japan.

The highest point in Korea is the ] at 2,744 metres (9,003&nbsp;]), and major rivers include the ] and the ].

The local ] is relatively ], with ] heavier in summer during a short rainy season called ''changma'', and winters that can be bitterly cold on occasion. The DPRK's capital and largest city is ]; other major cities include ] in the south, ] in the northwest, ] and ] in the east and ] in the northeast.

''See also: ]''

==Economy==
]
{{main|Economy of North Korea}}
North Korea's ] ] has been relatively stagnant since the 1970s. Publicly owned industry produces nearly all manufactured goods. The government focuses on heavy military industry, with an estimated 13% of the nation's ] being spent on the military ]. By comparison, neighboring South Korea spent 2.5% on its military. The government does not release economic data.

In the 1990s North Korea faced significant economic disruptions, including a series of natural disasters, political mismanagement, serious ] shortages, and the collapse of the Soviet bloc. These resulted in a shortfall of staple ] output of more than 1 million tons from what the country needs to meet internationally-accepted minimum requirements. The ] killed between 600,000 and 3.5 million people in the DPRK during the 1990s. By 1999, ] reduced the number of famine deaths, but ] led to a decline in international food and development aid. In the spring of 2005, the World Food Program reported that famine conditions were in imminent danger of returning to North Korea, and the government was reported to have mobilized millions of city-dwellers to help rice farmers. Recent evidence suggests serious food shortages continue. . In spite of the massive food donations from other countries, over 22 percent of the population of North Korea is classified as ].

North Korea has previously received international food and fuel aid from China, South Korea, and the United States in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. In June 2005, the U.S. announced that it would give 50,000 metric tons of food aid to North Korea. The United States gave North Korea 50,000 tons in 2004 and 100,000 tons in 2003. On ] ], North Korea was promised food and fuel aid (among other things) from South Korea, the U.S.A., Japan, Russia, and the PRC in exchange for abandoning its nuclear weapons program and rejoining the ].

China is currently the world's third largest food donor, with most of its donations destined for North Korea. Approximately 92% of 577,000 tonnes of food aid donated by China in 2005 was to North Korea, making up 49% of the food aid North Korea receives. South Korea was the second biggest donor in 2005, contributing 36% on top of China's 49%.
]
In July 2002, North Korea started experimenting with capitalism in the ]. A small number of other areas have been designated as ], including ] along the China-North Korea border. ] and ] are the biggest trade partners of North Korea, with trade with China increasing 38% to $1.02 billion in 2003, and trade with South Korea increasing 12% to $724 million in 2003.{{fact}} It is reported that the number of mobile phones in ] rose from only 3,000 in 2002 to approximately 20,000 during 2004. As of June 2004, however, mobile phones became forbidden again. A small amount of capitalistic elements are gradually spreading from the trial area, including a number of advertising billboards along certain highways. Recent visitors have reported that the number of open-air farmers' markets has increased in ], ], as well as along the China-North Korea border, bypassing the food rationing system.

According to the ] of South Korea, the GDP grew by 6.2% in 1999, but only 1.3% in 2000, 3.2 % in 2001, 1.2% in 2002 and 1.8 % in 2003.

In a 2003 event dubbed the "]", a North Korean cargo ship allegedly attempting to smuggle heroin into Australia was seized by Australian officials, strengthening Australian and United States suspicions that Pyongyang engages in international drug smuggling. The North Korean government denied any involvement.

''See also: ], ], ], ]''

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of North Korea}}
North Korea's estimated population of 23,000,000 is one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous places in the world, with very small numbers of ], ], ] and ] expatriate minorities.

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in North Korea}}
Religious activities are heavily suppressed by the officially ] state, especially ], which is seen as closely connected to the U.S.A.

North Korea shares with South Korea a ] and ] heritage and recent history of ] and ] ("Heavenly Way") movements. Pyongyang was the centre of Christian activity in Korea before the Korean War. Today two state-sanctioned churches exist, which ] advocates alleged are mere show-cases for foreigners. . There are an estimated 4,000 ] and about 9,000 ] in North Korea.

According to a ranking published ], an organization that supports persecuted ]s, North Korea is currently the country with the most severe persecution of Christians worldwide .

There are a small number of Muslims in North Korea, but little is known about them. (See ].)

===Language===
North Korea shares the ] with South Korea. There are dialect differences within both parts of Korea, but the border between North and South does not represent a major linguistic boundary. The adoption of modern terms from foreign languages has been limited in North Korea, while prevalent in the South. Other small differences have arisen, primarily in the words used for recent innovations.

] (Chinese characters) are no longer used in North Korea, although still used in South Korea in some contexts. Both Koreas share the ] writing system.

The official ] differs in the two countries, with North Korea using the ] romanisation of Korean, and the South using the ] romanisation.

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of North Korea}}
There is a vast ] around Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and much of North Korea's literature, popular music, theatre, and film glorify the two men.

In July 2004, the ] was the first site in North Korea to be included into the ] list of ].

A popular event in North Korea is the ]. The most recent and largest Mass Games was called &quot;]". It was performed six nights a week for two months, and involved over 100,000 performers. The Mass Games involve performances of ], ], and choreographic routines which celebrate the history of North Korea and the Workers’ Party Revolution. The Mass Games are held in Pyongyang at various venues (varying according to the scale of the Games in a particular year) including the May Day Grand Theatre.

Restaurants run by the North Korean government have opened in China (see ).

''See also: ], ], ], ], ], ]''

==Administrative divisions==
{{main|Subdivisions of North Korea|Cities of North Korea}}
]

North Korea is divided into 9 ]s, 3 special ]s, and 2 directly-governed cities (''Chikhalsi''; 직할시; 直轄市).<!--(Names are romanized according to the ] system as officially used in North Korea; the editor was also guided by the spellings used on the 2003 ] map of Korea).-->

For historical information, see ] and ].

===Provinces===
*] Province (''Chagang-do;'' 자강도; 慈江道)
*] Province (''Hamgyŏng-pukto;'' 함경 북도; 咸鏡北道)
*] Province (''Hamgyŏng-namdo;'' 함경 남도; 咸鏡南道)
*] Province (''Hwanghae-pukto;'' 황해 북도; 黃海北道)
*] Province (''Hwanghae-namdo;'' 황해 남도; 黃海南道)
*] Province (''Kangwŏndo;'' 강원도; 江原道)
*] Province (''P'yŏngan-pukto;'' 평안 북도; 平安北道)
*] Province (''P'yŏngan-namdo;'' 평안 남도; 平安南道)
*] Province (''Ryanggang-do;'' 량강도; 兩江道--sometimes also spelled as 'Yanggang' in English)
]

===Special regions===
*] (''Kaesŏng Kong-ŏp Chigu;'' 개성 공업 지구; 開城工業地區)
*] (''Kŭmgangsan Kwangwang Chigu;'' 금강산 관광 지구; 金剛山觀光地區)
*] (''Sinŭiju T'ŭkpyŏl Haengjŏnggu''; 신의주 특별 행정구; 新義州特別行政區)

===Directly-governed cities===
*] Directly-governed City (''P'yŏngyang Chikhalsi''; 평양 직할시; 平壤直轄市)
*] ''Chikhalsi'' (라선 (라진-선봉) 직할시; 羅先 (羅津-先鋒) 直轄市)

===Major cities===
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

==In popular entertainment==
North Korea has at several times protested its portrayal in western entertainment. For a list of films concerning and often fictionalizing the nation, see ].

==See also==
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

==Line note references==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>

==References==
#{{note|1}} ], '']'' (New York: Basic Books, 2001) 146.

==Further reading==
*Gordon Cucullu, ''Separated At Birth: How North Korea Became The Evil Twin'', Globe Pequot Press (2004), hardcover, 307 pages, ISBN 1-59228-591-0
*Bruce Cumings, <cite>Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History</cite>, ], 1998, paperback, 527 pages, ISBN 0-393-31681-5
*Bruce Cumings, <cite>Origins of the Korean War (Vol. 1): Liberation and the Emergence of Separate Regimes 1945-1947</cite>, ], 1981, paperback, ISBN 0-691-10113-2
*Bruce Cumings, <cite>Origins of the Korean War (Vol. 2): The Roaring of the Cataract 1947-1950</cite>, ], 2004, hardcover, ISBN 89-7696-613-9
*Bruce Cumings, <cite>North Korea: Another Country</cite>, ], 2004, paperback, ISBN 1-56584-940-X
*Bruce Cumings, <cite>Living Through The Forgotten War: Portrait Of Korea</cite>, ], 2004, paperback, ISBN 0-9729704-0-1
*Bruce Cumings, <cite>Inventing the Axis of Evil: The Truth About North Korea, Iran, and Syria</cite>, ], 2006, paperback, ISBN 1-59558-038-7
*Delisle, Guy, <cite>Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea</cite>, ], 2005, hardcover, 176 pages, ISBN 1-896597-89-0
*Nick Eberstadt, aka Nicholas Eberstadt, ''The End of North Korea'', American Enterprise Institute Press (1999), hardcover, 191 pages, ISBN 0-8447-4087-X
*John Feffer, <cite>North Korea South Korea: U.S. Policy at a Time of Crisis</cite>, ], 2003, paperback, 197 pages, ISBN 1-58322-603-6
*{{cite book | author=Kang, Chol-Hwan | title=] | publisher=Basic Books, 2001 | year=2001 | id=ISBN 0-465-01102-0}}
*Mitchell B. Lerner, <cite>The Pueblo Incident: A Spy Ship and the Failure of American Foreign Policy</cite>, University Press of Kansas, 2002, hardcover, 408 pages, ISBN 0-7006-1171-1
*Bradley Martin, ''Under The Loving Care Of The Fatherly Leader: North Korea And The Kim Dynasty'', St. Martins (October, 2004), hardcover, 868 pages, ISBN 0-312-32221-6
*Oberdorfer, Don. <cite>The two Koreas : a contemporary history</cite>. Addison-Wesley, 1997, 472 pages, ISBN 0-201-40927-5
*Kong Dan Oh, and Ralph C. Hassig, ''North Korea Through the Looking Glass'', The Brookings Institution, 2000, paperback, 216 pages, ISBN 0-8157-6435-9
*Quinones, Dr. C. Kenneth, and Joseph Tragert, ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding North Korea'', Alpha Books, 2004, paperback, 448 pages, ISBN 1-59257-169-7
*Sigal, Leon V., ''Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea'', ], 199, 336 pages, ISBN 0-691-05797-4
*Vladimir, ''Cyber North Korea'', Byakuya Shobo, 2003, paperback, 223 pages, ISBN 4-89367-881-7
*Norbert Vollertsen, <cite>Inside North Korea: Diary of a Mad Place</cite>, Encounter Books, 2003, hardcover, 280 pages, ISBN 1-893554-87-2
*Michael Harrold, <cite>Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea</cite>, Wiley Publishing, 2004, paperback, 432 pages, ISBN 0-470-86976-3
*Wahn Kihl, Y. (1983) "North Korea in 1983: Transforming "The Hermit Kingdom"?" ''Asian Survey'', Vol. 24, No. 1: pp100-111

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|North Korea}}
*{{wikitravel|North Korea}}
*
*
*
* July 27, 1953
* from TripAdvisor.ru
* from Foreign Policy Magazine
* by Jasper Becker
* from the ], about a group of American "extreme travelers" who visited North Korea in the fall of 2005
*, an archive of Aidan Foster-Carter's coverage of North Korea for the Asia Times.
* On North Korea's energy crisis.
*, by Andrew Holloway, 1988.
* Features pins made for the D.P.R. Korean team.
===Links associated with North Korean government===
*: 10 Point programme for reunification of the country
* - Website officially associated with North Korea. (Maintained from a ] server by the ].)
* ("My country," in Korean) DPRK's Official Web Portal run by Korea Computer Company
* - Hosted on a Japanese webserver.
* News from the DPRK
*
*

===Web sites about North Korea===
{{portalpar|Korea|Korea gyeongbokgung.jpg}}
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* - detailed account of travel to 3 sanctioned areas
*
* blog about North Korea news
* - background news and analysis of North Korea
* directory category
*
*
* Second part of Los Angeles Times expose on changing North Korean life (July 4, 2005)
* - data as of June 1993
*
*: Human rights of children in North Korea (])
* — Luis Ramirez (])
* PBS documentary on North Korean refugees, filmed in 2003 (])
*
*
* ()
*

===Web sites criticizing North Korea===
* - Blog focusing on human rights conditions in North Korea
* - Background stories on North Korea
* - website calling for ] solidarity with Korean refugees.
* - North Korea focused daily online newspaper
* - website focused on DPRK human rights
* - Witness accounts of refugees
*

===Documentaries on North Korea===
* - PBS ''Frontline'' Documentary (Video & Transcript)
* Documentary on North Koreans Trying to escape via China 2004
* Dan Rather 60 Minutes 02/06
* A documentary by the BBC following two young North Korean gymnasts training for the ].
* Discovery Channel documentary about the children of North Korea.
* BBC documentary on biological weapon testing on prisoners.

{{East_Asia}}
{{Asia}}

]
]
]

]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Revision as of 23:43, 10 October 2006

Democratic People's Republic of Korea조선민주주의인민공화국
朝鮮民主主義人民共和國
Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk
Flag of North Korea Flag Coat of arms of North Korea Coat of arms
Motto: Prosperous and Great Country (강성대국)
Anthem: Aegukka
Location of North Korea
Capitaland largest cityP'yŏngyang
Official languagesKorean
GovernmentSocialist Republic
• Eternal President of the Republic Kim Il-sung (deceased, 1994)
• Chairman of the NDC Kim Jong-il
• President of the SPA Kim Yong-nam
• Premier Pak Pong-ju
Establishment
• Kojosŏn 2333 BC (legendary)
• Declaration of Independence March 1, 1919 (symbolic)
• Liberation August 15, 1945
• Republic September 9, 1948
• Water (%)4.87%
Population
• 2006 estimate23,113,019 (48th)
• CensusN/A
GDP (PPP)2005 estimate
• Total$40 billion (85th)
• Per capita$1,800 (149th)
HDI (2003)NA
Error: Invalid HDI value (unranked)
CurrencyWŏn (₩) (KPW)
Time zoneUTC+9
Does not observe DST
Calling code850
ISO 3166 codeKP
Internet TLDnone, .kp reserved
Kim Jong-il is the nation's most prominent leading figure and a government figure head, although he is not the head of state or the head of government; his official title is Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, a position which he has held since 1994
Kim Yong-nam is the "head of state for foreign affairs";
Source: CIA World Factbook . North Korea does not disclose figures.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), more commonly known as North Korea, is an East Asian country situated on the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its border is shared predominantly with the People's Republic of China. Russia shares an 18.3 kilometre (11.4 mi) border along the Tumen River in the far northeast corner of the country. To the south, it is bordered by South Korea, with which it formed one territorial unit known as Korea until 1945.

Its government defines itself as a Communist-led democratic multi-party state of the Juche political ideology, although it is thought to function as a dictatorship in practice. The government's Juche ideology demands absolute loyalty from the citizenry (see Practical Application of Juche). It uses a centrally-planned system to implement its economic and social policies. Its ideological stance on issues such as the mass line, the role of intellectuals, and the source of revolutionary fervor mark North Korea's government as different from the Leninist Soviet Union or Maoist China.


Name

Main article: Names of Korea

North Korea's official name is Chosŏn Minjŭjuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk (조선민주주의인민공화국, lit. "Chosŏn Democratic People's Republic") or, more commonly, Pukchosŏn (북조선, "North Chosŏn") or simply Chosŏn (조선, "Chosŏn"). Chosŏn is a reference to the Kojosŏn.

History

Main article: History of North Korea

In the aftermath of the Japanese occupation of Korea which ended with Japan's defeat in World War II in 1945, Korea was divided by the Soviet Union north of the 38th parallel and by the United States south of the 38th parallel. The Korean people were not consulted by either power prior to this division. While virtually all Koreans welcomed liberation from Japanese imperial rule, they objected to the reimposition of foreign rule over the peninsula. The Soviets and Americans were unable to agree on the implementation of Joint Trusteeship over Korea. This led in 1948 to the establishment of separate governments in the north and south, each claiming to be the legitimate government of all of Korea.

Growing tensions between the governments in the north and south and border skirmishes eventually led to a civil war called the Korean War. On June 25, 1950 the (North) Korean People's Army attacked across the 38th Parallel in a move to reunify the peninsula under their political system. The war continued until July 27, 1953, when the United Nations Command, the Korean People's Army, and the Chinese People's Volunteers signed the Korean War Armistice Agreement. The DMZ has separated the North and South ever since.

File:DRPK Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.jpg
Kim Il-sung (right) with son Kim Jong-il

North Korea was led by Kim Il-sung from 1948 until his death on July 8, 1994. He delegated most domestic matters to his son, Kim Jong-il, toward the end of his life. Three years after his father's death, on October 8, 1997, Kim Jong-il was named General Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party. In 1998, the legislature reconfirmed him as Chairman of the National Defence Commission and declared that position as the "highest office of state." International relations generally improved, and there was a historic North-South summit between the two Koreas in June 2000. However, tensions with the United States have increased recently as North Korea resumed the development of a nuclear weapons program and, on July 5, 2006, conducted a series of missile tests, as well as an underground nuclear test on October 9, 2006. The United Nations called an emergency meeting to respond to the nuclear test.

In the 1970s the country's economy grew at a significant rate and, until 1975, was considered to be stronger than that in the South. However, under Kim Jong-il's rule in the mid-to-late 1990s, the country's economy declined significantly, and food shortages developed in many areas. According to aid groups, millions of people in rural areas starved to death due to famine, exacerbated by a collapse in the food distribution system . Large numbers of North Koreans illegally entered the People's Republic of China in search of food. Hwang Jang-yop, International Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party, defected to South Korea in 1997.

In August of 2006, the DPRK declared the armistice that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War "null and void."

See also: History of Korea, Division of Korea

Politics and government

File:Kimjongil-wave.jpg
Kim Jong-il, leader of North Korea
Juche Tower, Pyongyang
Politics of North Korea
Constitution
Workers' Party of Korea Congress (8th)
Supreme People's Assembly 14th term
State Affairs Commission 14th term

Organizations

Cabinet 14th term

Cabinet Ministries

Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
Related topics
flag North Korea portal
Main article: Politics of North Korea

North Korea is widely considered to be one of the few remaining Communist states. The government is dominated by the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), to which 80 percent of government officials belong. The official ideology of the KWP is known as Juche (self-reliance), a political philosophy first developed by Kim Il-Sung and then expanded upon by his son, the current leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong-il. Although the KWP replaced mentions of Marxism-Leninism in the North Korean constitution with Juche in 1977, the constitution retains mentions of Socialism and Communism and Kim Jeong Il and the Korean Workers Party continue to claim to be Marxist-Leninist. Many Communists outside North Korea deny that the KWP is still a communist organisation or that North Korea is still socialist. Minor political parties also participate in elections, although in practice present no opposition. The exact power structure of the country is debated by outside observers. North Korea has been characterized by a professor at the American Strategic Studies Institute as "highly repressive, heavily militarized, strongly resistant to reform, and ruled by a dynastic dictatorship that adheres to a hybrid ideology. While distinctive, North Korea is an orthodox communist party-state best classified as an eroding totalitarian regime." The Premier is the head of government, although many observers consider that effective power lies with Kim Jong-il, head of the KWP and the military. Kim holds several official titles, the most important being General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defense Commission, and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. Kim is not the Head of State or the Head of Government, positions held by Kim Yong Nam and Pak Pong-ju respectively. Kim Jong-il is accorded the honorific "Great Leader" as part of a personality cult and is referred to as such by some of his western supporters. The phrase "Dear Leader" was formerly used for Kim Jong-il.

In English-language news sources from North Korea, the term "Great Leader" is very rarely used except when quoting someone refering to him affectionately as such ("comrade" and "general secretary" are used more frequently). Kim Jong Il's western supporters in the Korean Friendship Association however, frequently refer to Kim Jong Il as "Dear Leader" or "Great Leader." .

The 1998 constitution refers to the late Kim Il-sung as the "eternal president of the republic," as the post of president was abolished after his death. The constitution gives many of the functions normally accorded to a head of state to the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium, whose president, currently Kim Yong Nam (no relation to Kim Jong Il) "represents the State" and receives credentials from foreign ambassadors. The government of the republic is led by the Prime Minister, currently Pak Pong-ju and a cabinet called the Central People's Committee (CPC), the government's top policymaking body. The CPC is headed by the President, a post which was abolished after Kim Il-sung's death, who also nominates the other committee members. The CPC makes policy decisions and supervises the Cabinet, or State Administration Council (SAC). The SAC is headed by a Premier and is the dominant administrative and executive agency.

The parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly (Choego Inmin Hoeui), is the highest organ of state power. Its 687 members are elected every five years by popular vote. In every district voters are offered only one candidate. The People's Assembly usually holds two annual meetings, each lasting a few days, during which it elects a standing committee. The Assembly is viewed by the west as typically ratifing decisions made by the ruling KWP (see rubber stamp). A standing committee elected by the Assembly performs legislative functions when the Assembly is not in session.

See also: Foreign relations of North Korea, Military of North Korea, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction

Foreign relations and military

Main articles: Military of North Korea and Foreign relations of North Korea

Military

According to Western estimates , North Korea has the fifth-largest military in the world, with the largest percentage of citizens enlisted (49.03 active troops per thousand citizens). The North has an estimated 1.08 million armed personnel, compared with about 686,000 South Korean troops (and 3.5 million paramilitary forces) plus 29,000 US troops in South Korea. Military spending is about $5 billion USD. The North has perhaps the world's second-largest special operations force (55,000), designed for insertion behind enemy lines in wartime. While the North has an adequate fleet of submarines, its surface fleet has a very limited capability.

As of 1992, the North Korean Air Force comprised about 1,620 aircraft and 70,000 personnel, with roughly twice the number of aircraft as the South. Most of its aircraft are obsolete Soviet and Chinese models, but it has been modernizing since the 1980s. Aircraft holdings include 150 MiG-21s, 30 MiG-29s, 60 MiG-23s, and 40 Q-5 Fantans. Since the 1980s, the air force has expanded its inventory of helicopters from 40 to 275. This inventory includes Mi-2/HOPLITEs, Mi-4/HOUNDs, and Mi-8/HIPs. In 1985, the DPRK circumvented U.S. export controls to buy 87 U.S.-manufactured civilian model Hughes helicopters, which are more advanced than the Russian models and have probably been armed with guns and rockets. North Korea does not manufacture its own aircraft, but it does produce spare parts. The overall assessment is that the air force "has a marginal capability for defending North Korean airspace and a limited ability to conduct air operations against South Korea."

The North Korean Government reported it conducted a successful test of a nuclear weapon on October 9th, 2006. See section titled "Missiles, nuclear weapons program, and the six-party talks" below for more detail.

Foreign relations

File:Kim Jong Il and Madeleine Albright.jpg
Kim Jong-il with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in 2000

The foreign relations of the DPRK with the United States are often regarded as relatively tense and unpredictable. Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, the North Korean government has been at odds with the United States, Japan and South Korea, with which it is still technically at war. Since 2000 its relations with the US have greatly deteriorated, and it was called a part of the "axis of evil" and an "outpost of tyranny" by US President George W. Bush. North Korea does not have diplomatic relations with the US at present, and the United States maintains economic sanctions against the DPRK under the Trading with the Enemy Act.

North Korea has maintained close relations with the People's Republic of China and Russia, but the fall of communism in eastern Europe in 1989 and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 resulted in a significant drop in communist aid to North Korea from Russia, although China continues to provide substantial assistance.

Although still technically at war, both the North and South Korean government proclaim that they are seeking eventual reunification as a goal, however there is still significant hostility between the citizens of North and South Korea. North Korea's policy is to seek reunification without what it sees as outside interference, through a federal structure retaining each side's leadership and systems. Both North and South Korea signed the June 15th North-South Joint Declaration in which both sides made promises to seek out a peaceful reunification.

As of June 2006 Venezuela has strengthened its ties with North Korea.

The DPRK continues to have strong ties with its socialist Asian allies in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

North Korea is a member of several multilateral organizations. It became a member of the United Nations in September 1991. North Korea also belongs to the Food and Agriculture Organization; the International Civil Aviation Organization; the International Postal Union; the UN Conference on Trade and Development; the ITU; the UN Development Programme; the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; the World Health Organization; the World Intellectual Property Organization; the World Meteorological Organization; the International Maritime Organization; the International Committee of the Red Cross; and the Nonaligned Movement.

The highest level contact with the American government was Madeleine Albright's 2000 visit to Pyongyang. However, the US and the DPRK have not had formal diplomatic relations and technically remain at war as the armistice never resulted in a peace treaty. Nearly 30,000 American soldiers remain in South Korea, a military presence that the North Koreans consider aggressive and a means of preventing north/south reconciliation.

Missiles, nuclear weapons program, and the six-party talks

This 2006 North Korean nuclear test may be affected by a current event. Information in this 2006 North Korean nuclear test may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this 2006 North Korean nuclear test may not reflect the most current information. Please feel free to improve this 2006 North Korean nuclear test (but note that updates without valid and reliable references will be removed) or discuss changes on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Main articles: North Korea and weapons of mass destruction, Six-party talks, and 2006 North Korean nuclear test

On October 9, 2006, North Korea announced that it had conducted its first nuclear test.

China was given 20 minutes notice of the test, and China subsequently warned Japan, Russia, and the United States. The seismic activity is disputed; the United States Geological Survey measured it as 4.2 on the Richter scale, while South Korean scientists placed it as 3.58. According to the Korean Central News Agency "no radioactive material leaked from that test site". (See 2006 North Korean nuclear test for more information.)

North Korea has in the past stated that it has produced nuclear weapons and according to many intelligence and military officials it has produced, or has the capability to produce, up to six or seven such devices. It also has a certain quantity of Rodong-1 and 2, Scud, and the long-range Taepodong-1 and 2 missiles. It has test-fired each of these missiles more than once, despite the Six-party talks, initiated in 2003. The Six-party talks have been the diplomatic route used to resolve the concern brought about by North Korea's nuclear weapons program. These talks are a series of meetings with six participating states - the People's Republic of China, South Korea, North Korea, the United States of America, the Russian Federation and Japan and were a result of North Korea withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003. The aim of these talks is to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns raised by the North Korean nuclear weapons program.

According to Richard Saccone, an expert on Korea, in April 2006 : "After decades of hostile exchanges and months of stalled negotiations about its nuclear weapons, North Korea quietly put forward a positive signal that it is prepared to talk."

North Korea is not a signatory of the Missile Technology Control Regime and states that it has the sovereign right to test its missiles and pursue its weapons program. The DPRK's stance on the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration with Japan is that the agreement is now void due to Japan's failure to normalize relations with the regime. US sanctions following the six-party talks are also cited by North Korea as a reason to continue missile tests and other aspects of its weapons program.

North Korea announced on October 3, 2006, that it was going to test its first nuclear weapon regardless of the world situation, blaming 'hostile US policy' as the reason for the need for such a deterrent. However, it pledged a no-first-strike policy and to nuclear disarmament only when there is worldwide elimination of such nuclear weapons. On October 9, 2006, the state claimed to have conducted its first underground nuclear test successfully. The response from the international community was for the most part condemnation. The UN and NATO quickly held meetings to decide how to react to this situation.

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in North Korea

Amnesty International and other human rights organizations accuse North Korea of having one of the worst human rights records of any nation, severely restricting most freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of movement, both inside the country and abroad.

North Korean exiles have testified as to the existence of detention camps with an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 inmates, and have reported torture, starvation, rape, murder and forced labour. Japanese television aired what it said was footage of a prison camp . In some of the camps, US officials and former inmates say the annual mortality rate approaches 20% to 25% . An estimated two million civilians have been killed by the government A former prison guard and army intelligence officer said that in one camp, chemical weapons were tested on prisoners in a gas chamber . According to a former prisoner, pregnant women inside the camps are often forced to have abortions or the newborn child is killed . A recent TIME magazine article documents a young woman's forced abortion in a prison camp and subsequent escape from North Korea. The government of North Korea refuses to admit independent human rights observers to the state.

The government of North Korea has also been implicated in terrorist attacks in South Korea (Wahn Kihl 1983: 106) as well as assassinations of dissidents in nearby states

Geography

Main article: Geography of North Korea

North Korea is on the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea shares land borders with China and Russia to the north, and with South Korea to the south. To its west are the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay, and to its east is the Sea of Japan (which North Korea names the East Sea of Korea). Japan lies east of the peninsula across the Sea of Japan.

The highest point in Korea is the Paektu-san at 2,744 metres (9,003 ft), and major rivers include the Tumen and the Yalu.

The local climate is relatively temperate, with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called changma, and winters that can be bitterly cold on occasion. The DPRK's capital and largest city is P'yŏngyang; other major cities include Kaesŏng in the south, Sinŭiju in the northwest, Wŏnsan and Hamhŭng in the east and Ch'ŏngjin in the northeast.

See also: Korean Peninsula

Economy

File:KwangbokStreet.jpg
Kwangbok Street in Pyongyang.
Main article: Economy of North Korea

North Korea's socialist economy has been relatively stagnant since the 1970s. Publicly owned industry produces nearly all manufactured goods. The government focuses on heavy military industry, with an estimated 13% of the nation's GDP being spent on the military as of 2005. By comparison, neighboring South Korea spent 2.5% on its military. The government does not release economic data.

In the 1990s North Korea faced significant economic disruptions, including a series of natural disasters, political mismanagement, serious fertilizer shortages, and the collapse of the Soviet bloc. These resulted in a shortfall of staple grain output of more than 1 million tons from what the country needs to meet internationally-accepted minimum requirements. The resulting famine killed between 600,000 and 3.5 million people in the DPRK during the 1990s. By 1999, foreign aid reduced the number of famine deaths, but North Korea's continuing nuclear program led to a decline in international food and development aid. In the spring of 2005, the World Food Program reported that famine conditions were in imminent danger of returning to North Korea, and the government was reported to have mobilized millions of city-dwellers to help rice farmers. Recent evidence suggests serious food shortages continue. . In spite of the massive food donations from other countries, over 22 percent of the population of North Korea is classified as malnourished.

North Korea has previously received international food and fuel aid from China, South Korea, and the United States in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. In June 2005, the U.S. announced that it would give 50,000 metric tons of food aid to North Korea. The United States gave North Korea 50,000 tons in 2004 and 100,000 tons in 2003. On 19 September 2005, North Korea was promised food and fuel aid (among other things) from South Korea, the U.S.A., Japan, Russia, and the PRC in exchange for abandoning its nuclear weapons program and rejoining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

China is currently the world's third largest food donor, with most of its donations destined for North Korea. Approximately 92% of 577,000 tonnes of food aid donated by China in 2005 was to North Korea, making up 49% of the food aid North Korea receives. South Korea was the second biggest donor in 2005, contributing 36% on top of China's 49%.

Pyongyang subway

In July 2002, North Korea started experimenting with capitalism in the Kaesŏng Industrial Region. A small number of other areas have been designated as Special Administrative Regions, including Sinŭiju along the China-North Korea border. Mainland China and South Korea are the biggest trade partners of North Korea, with trade with China increasing 38% to $1.02 billion in 2003, and trade with South Korea increasing 12% to $724 million in 2003. It is reported that the number of mobile phones in P'yŏngyang rose from only 3,000 in 2002 to approximately 20,000 during 2004. As of June 2004, however, mobile phones became forbidden again. A small amount of capitalistic elements are gradually spreading from the trial area, including a number of advertising billboards along certain highways. Recent visitors have reported that the number of open-air farmers' markets has increased in Kaesong, P'yŏngyang, as well as along the China-North Korea border, bypassing the food rationing system.

According to the Ministry of Unification of South Korea, the GDP grew by 6.2% in 1999, but only 1.3% in 2000, 3.2 % in 2001, 1.2% in 2002 and 1.8 % in 2003.

In a 2003 event dubbed the "Pong Su incident", a North Korean cargo ship allegedly attempting to smuggle heroin into Australia was seized by Australian officials, strengthening Australian and United States suspicions that Pyongyang engages in international drug smuggling. The North Korean government denied any involvement.

See also: List of North Korean companies, Communications in North Korea, Transportation in North Korea, Tourism in North Korea

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of North Korea

North Korea's estimated population of 23,000,000 is one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous places in the world, with very small numbers of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European expatriate minorities.

Religion

Main article: Religion in North Korea

Religious activities are heavily suppressed by the officially atheist state, especially Protestantism, which is seen as closely connected to the U.S.A.

North Korea shares with South Korea a Buddhist and Confucianist heritage and recent history of Christian and Chondogyo ("Heavenly Way") movements. Pyongyang was the centre of Christian activity in Korea before the Korean War. Today two state-sanctioned churches exist, which religious freedom advocates alleged are mere show-cases for foreigners. . There are an estimated 4,000 Catholics and about 9,000 Protestants in North Korea.

According to a ranking published Open Doors, an organization that supports persecuted Christians, North Korea is currently the country with the most severe persecution of Christians worldwide .

There are a small number of Muslims in North Korea, but little is known about them. (See Islam in Korea.)

Language

North Korea shares the Korean language with South Korea. There are dialect differences within both parts of Korea, but the border between North and South does not represent a major linguistic boundary. The adoption of modern terms from foreign languages has been limited in North Korea, while prevalent in the South. Other small differences have arisen, primarily in the words used for recent innovations.

Hanja (Chinese characters) are no longer used in North Korea, although still used in South Korea in some contexts. Both Koreas share the hangul writing system.

The official Romanisation differs in the two countries, with North Korea using the McCune-Reischauer romanisation of Korean, and the South using the revised romanisation.

Culture

Main article: Culture of North Korea

There is a vast personality cult around Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and much of North Korea's literature, popular music, theatre, and film glorify the two men.

In July 2004, the Complex of Goguryeo Tombs was the first site in North Korea to be included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

A popular event in North Korea is the Mass Games. The most recent and largest Mass Games was called "Arirang". It was performed six nights a week for two months, and involved over 100,000 performers. The Mass Games involve performances of dance, gymnastic, and choreographic routines which celebrate the history of North Korea and the Workers’ Party Revolution. The Mass Games are held in Pyongyang at various venues (varying according to the scale of the Games in a particular year) including the May Day Grand Theatre.

Restaurants run by the North Korean government have opened in China (see ).

See also: Culture of Korea, Cuisine of Korea, Music of Korea, Public holidays in North Korea, Education in North Korea, Tourism in North Korea

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Subdivisions of North Korea and Cities of North Korea
Map of North Korea

North Korea is divided into 9 provinces, 3 special regions, and 2 directly-governed cities (Chikhalsi; 직할시; 直轄市).

For historical information, see provinces of Korea and special cities of Korea.

Provinces

  • Chagang Province (Chagang-do; 자강도; 慈江道)
  • North Hamgyŏng Province (Hamgyŏng-pukto; 함경 북도; 咸鏡北道)
  • South Hamgyŏng Province (Hamgyŏng-namdo; 함경 남도; 咸鏡南道)
  • North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghae-pukto; 황해 북도; 黃海北道)
  • South Hwanghae Province (Hwanghae-namdo; 황해 남도; 黃海南道)
  • Kangwŏn Province (Kangwŏndo; 강원도; 江原道)
  • North P'yŏngan Province (P'yŏngan-pukto; 평안 북도; 平安北道)
  • South P'yŏngan Province (P'yŏngan-namdo; 평안 남도; 平安南道)
  • Ryanggang Province (Ryanggang-do; 량강도; 兩江道--sometimes also spelled as 'Yanggang' in English)
Administrative map of North Korea

Special regions

Directly-governed cities

  • P'yŏngyang Directly-governed City (P'yŏngyang Chikhalsi; 평양 직할시; 平壤直轄市)
  • Rasŏn (Rajin-Sŏnbong) Chikhalsi (라선 (라진-선봉) 직할시; 羅先 (羅津-先鋒) 直轄市)

Major cities

In popular entertainment

North Korea has at several times protested its portrayal in western entertainment. For a list of films concerning and often fictionalizing the nation, see List of films set in or about North Korea.

See also

Line note references

  1. "Administrative Divisions and Population Figures (#26)" (PDF). NORTH KOREA: The Land of the Morning Calm. Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use. 2003-04. Retrieved 2006-10-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0607/08/cst.04.html
  3. http://www.kcckp.net/en/great/political.php. Retrieved 10 October 2006
  4. "Dr. Andrew Scobell". Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College. 2003-12-05. Retrieved 2006-09-20.
  5. Scobell, Andrew (December 2005). "Making Sense of North Korea: Pyongyang and Comparative Communism (abstract of)". Asian Security. 1 (3). Taylor & Francis: 245–266. doi:10.1080/14799850500341932. Retrieved 2006-09-19. (also http://www.asiansecurity.net/1-3.htm)
  6. CIA World Factbook
  7. Stéphane Courtois et al., The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression, translation by Jonathan Murphy and Mark Kramer, Harvard University Press, 1999

References

  1. Kang Chol-Hwan, The Aquariums of Pyongyang (New York: Basic Books, 2001) 146.

Further reading

  • Gordon Cucullu, Separated At Birth: How North Korea Became The Evil Twin, Globe Pequot Press (2004), hardcover, 307 pages, ISBN 1-59228-591-0
  • Bruce Cumings, Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History, W.W. Norton & Company, 1998, paperback, 527 pages, ISBN 0-393-31681-5
  • Bruce Cumings, Origins of the Korean War (Vol. 1): Liberation and the Emergence of Separate Regimes 1945-1947, Princeton University Press, 1981, paperback, ISBN 0-691-10113-2
  • Bruce Cumings, Origins of the Korean War (Vol. 2): The Roaring of the Cataract 1947-1950, Cornell University Press, 2004, hardcover, ISBN 89-7696-613-9
  • Bruce Cumings, North Korea: Another Country, New Press, 2004, paperback, ISBN 1-56584-940-X
  • Bruce Cumings, Living Through The Forgotten War: Portrait Of Korea, Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 2004, paperback, ISBN 0-9729704-0-1
  • Bruce Cumings, Inventing the Axis of Evil: The Truth About North Korea, Iran, and Syria, New Press, 2006, paperback, ISBN 1-59558-038-7
  • Delisle, Guy, Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Drawn & Quarterly Books, 2005, hardcover, 176 pages, ISBN 1-896597-89-0
  • Nick Eberstadt, aka Nicholas Eberstadt, The End of North Korea, American Enterprise Institute Press (1999), hardcover, 191 pages, ISBN 0-8447-4087-X
  • John Feffer, North Korea South Korea: U.S. Policy at a Time of Crisis, Seven Stories Press, 2003, paperback, 197 pages, ISBN 1-58322-603-6
  • Kang, Chol-Hwan (2001). The Aquariums of Pyongyang. Basic Books, 2001. ISBN 0-465-01102-0.
  • Mitchell B. Lerner, The Pueblo Incident: A Spy Ship and the Failure of American Foreign Policy, University Press of Kansas, 2002, hardcover, 408 pages, ISBN 0-7006-1171-1
  • Bradley Martin, Under The Loving Care Of The Fatherly Leader: North Korea And The Kim Dynasty, St. Martins (October, 2004), hardcover, 868 pages, ISBN 0-312-32221-6
  • Oberdorfer, Don. The two Koreas : a contemporary history. Addison-Wesley, 1997, 472 pages, ISBN 0-201-40927-5
  • Kong Dan Oh, and Ralph C. Hassig, North Korea Through the Looking Glass, The Brookings Institution, 2000, paperback, 216 pages, ISBN 0-8157-6435-9
  • Quinones, Dr. C. Kenneth, and Joseph Tragert, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding North Korea, Alpha Books, 2004, paperback, 448 pages, ISBN 1-59257-169-7
  • Sigal, Leon V., Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea, Princeton University Press, 199, 336 pages, ISBN 0-691-05797-4
  • Vladimir, Cyber North Korea, Byakuya Shobo, 2003, paperback, 223 pages, ISBN 4-89367-881-7
  • Norbert Vollertsen, Inside North Korea: Diary of a Mad Place, Encounter Books, 2003, hardcover, 280 pages, ISBN 1-893554-87-2
  • Michael Harrold, Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea, Wiley Publishing, 2004, paperback, 432 pages, ISBN 0-470-86976-3
  • Wahn Kihl, Y. (1983) "North Korea in 1983: Transforming "The Hermit Kingdom"?" Asian Survey, Vol. 24, No. 1: pp100-111

External links

Links associated with North Korean government

Web sites about North Korea

Web sites criticizing North Korea

Documentaries on North Korea

Template:East Asia

Countries and dependencies of Asia
Sovereign states
States with limited
recognition
Dependent
territories
Australia
Greece
United Kingdom
Special administrative
regions of China
  • Spans the conventional boundary between Asia and another continent.
  • Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in West Asia.
Categories: