North Korea

Extracted Attributes

• Capital

  Pyongyang, North Korea

• Population

  26,418,204 (Wikidata)

• Ruling Party

  Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)

• Freedom Score

  3 out of 100 (Freedom House)

• Official Name

  Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

• Military Policy

  Songun (Military First)

• Official Ideology

  Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism

• Active-Duty Army Size

  1.28 million soldiers

• Geographic Coordinates

  40.0 N, 127.0 E

Timeline

• The Korean Empire is annexed by the Empire of Japan. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1910-08-22

• Following the end of World War II, Korea is divided along the 38th parallel into Soviet and U.S. occupation zones. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1945-08-15

• The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is officially established. (Source: Wikidata)

  1948-09-09

• North Korea invades South Korea, initiating the Korean War. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1950-06-25

• The Korean Armistice Agreement is signed, establishing the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). (Source: Wikipedia)

  1953-07-27

• North Korea is admitted as a member of the United Nations. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1991-09-17

• A period of severe famine begins, lasting through 1998 and causing widespread malnutrition. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1994-01-01

• The DPRK formally abandons all efforts and policies aimed at the reunification of Korea. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2024-01-15

North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea, like South Korea, claims to be the sole legitimate government of the Korean Peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city. The Korean Peninsula was first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan. In 1945, after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel, with the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south occupied by the United States. In 1948, separate governments were formed in Korea: the socialist and Soviet-aligned Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist, Western-aligned Republic of Korea in the south. The North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950 started the Korean War. In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire and established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), but no formal peace treaty has ever been signed. Post-war North Korea benefited greatly from economic aid and expertise provided by other Eastern Bloc countries. However, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader, promoted his personal philosophy of Juche as the state ideology. Pyongyang's international isolation sharply accelerated from the 1980s onwards as the Cold War came to an end. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 then brought about a sharp decline to the North Korean economy. From 1994 to 1998, North Korea suffered a famine with the population continuing to suffer from malnutrition. In 2024, the DPRK formally abandoned efforts to reunify Korea. North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship with a comprehensive cult of personality around the Kim family. Amnesty International considers the country to have the worst human rights record in the world. Officially, North Korea is a communist state that self-designates as an "independent socialist state" which holds democratic elections; however, outside observers have described the elections as unfair, uncompetitive, and pre-determined. The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) is the sole ruling party of North Korea. According to Article 3 of the constitution, Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the official ideology of North Korea. 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. The country follows Songun, a "military first" policy which prioritizes the Korean People's Army in state affairs and the allocation of resources. It possesses nuclear weapons. Its active-duty army of 1.28 million soldiers is the fourth-largest in the world. In addition to being a member of the United Nations since 1991, North Korea is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the G77, and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Web Search Results

• North Korea - Wikipedia

  North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea, like South Korea, claims to be the sole legitimate government of the Korean Peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city. [...] North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship with a comprehensive cult of personality around the Kim family "Kim family (North Korea)"). Amnesty International considers the country to have the worst human rights record in the world. Officially, North Korea is a communist state that self-designates as an "independent socialist state "Socialist state (communism)")" which holds democratic elections; however, outside observers have described the elections as unfair, uncompetitive, and pre-determined. The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) is the sole ruling party of North Korea. According to Article 3 of the constitution, Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the official ideology of North Korea. The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms. Most [...] Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist, Western-aligned Republic of Korea in the south. The North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950 started the Korean War. In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire and established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), but no formal peace treaty has ever been signed. Post-war North Korea benefited greatly from economic aid and expertise provided by other Eastern Bloc countries. However, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader, promoted his personal philosophy of Juche as the state ideology. Pyongyang's international isolation sharply accelerated from the 1980s onwards as the Cold War came to an end. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 then brought about a sharp decline to the North Korean economy. From

• North Korea: Introduction >> globalEDGE

  globalEDGE - Your source for business knowledge 1. Home 2. Global Insights 3. By Country 4. North Korea # North Korea: Introduction North Korea is a country in Eastern Asia occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. It borders the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan between China and South Korea. North Korea is composed of mountains and uplands, separated by deep and narrow valleys. The government system is a communist state one-man dictatorship; the chief of state is the president, and the head of state is the State Affairs Commission Chairman. North Korea has a command economy in which the central government directs the economy regarding the production and distribution of goods. ## Country Comparator Select variable and countries to compare in table format. Country Comparator

• North Korea Country Report 2024 - BTI Transformation Index

  Article 68 of the constitution guarantees freedom of religious belief. However, it also states that religion cannot be used to draw foreign influence into the country or damage the state order. In reality, North Korea, whose capital Pyongyang was once known as the “Jerusalem of the East,” remains one of the most anti-religious countries in the world. Aside from some official pro-forma religious organizations, and several church buildings in Pyongyang that are used for receiving foreign guests and for propaganda purposes, any sign of autonomous religious activity has been harshly persecuted. For example, in the U.S.-based NGO Open Doors’ annual World Watch List 2022 ranking of the 50 most difficult countries to be a Christian, North Korea ranked second after Afghanistan. [...] According to the regime’s own ideology, North Korea is a secular and atheistic society. Yet, the cult of personality surrounding the Kim family and the ruling dynasty could appear quasi-religious. The elements of secular modernity embodied in communist ideologies have been the building blocks of North Korea’s legal and political order. However, other ideological tendencies have intermingled with communist ideology, exerting a very strong influence on the organization of the public sphere, including political institutions. These tendencies include leader worship, the notion of the organic unity of the nation, and a chauvinistic emphasis on patriotism. Ideological principles are hammered into the psyche of North Korean citizens through various means, including education, ideological [...] In North Korea, there are no legal or political measures to prevent monopolistic structures and conduct. In addition, North Korea is not a member of the International Competition Network (ICN) and there is no independent competition authority. Instead, the leader monopolizes the most important business opportunities, while import and export businesses are owned by the state. The leader also has a monopoly on the right to assign and distribute these licenses to major agencies of the party, the military, and internal security agencies. Trading companies affiliated with these groups are given monopoly licenses for the export and/or import of certain goods, which enable them to take advantage of huge gaps between domestic and international prices. Their export goods have mainly consisted of

• North Korea: Country Profile | Freedom House

  Last Year's Score & Status 3 100 Not Free A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60. See the methodology. #### Overview North Korea is a one-party state led by a dynastic totalitarian dictatorship that regularly engages in grave human rights abuses. Surveillance is pervasive, arbitrary arrests and detention are common, and punishments for political offenses are severe. The state runs all media outlets, and freedom of assembly is not recognized. The state maintains a system of camps for political prisoners where torture, forced labor, starvation, and other atrocities take place. Read the full North Korea Report [...] STAY UP TO DATE: The Effects of the US Foreign Aid Freeze on Freedom House Expanding Freedom and Democracy # North Korea Freedom at a Glance Global Freedom 3 / 100 Not Free North Korea is a one-party state led by a dynastic totalitarian dictatorship that regularly engages in grave human rights abuses. Surveillance is pervasive, arbitrary arrests and detention are common, and punishments for political offenses are severe. ## Research & Recommendations Freedom in the World 2025 ## North Korea Not Free 3 100 | | | --- | | PR Political Rights | 0 40 | | CL Civil Liberties | 3 60 | Last Year's Score & Status 3 100 Not Free [...] Read the full North Korea Report Previous Reports: 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 Freedom in the World 2025 Policy Recommendations Read all recommendations Prioritize strengthening the rule of law and delivering economic dividends in the aftermath of political transitions In countries where democratic forces have come to power after periods of antidemocratic rule, the new governments should pursue an agenda that protects and expands freedoms even as it delivers tangible economic and social benefits to citizens. In countries emerging from war or the collapse of authoritarian regimes, focus on safety, reconciliation, reform

• North Korea - Economy, Resources, Trade | Britannica

  Efforts have been made throughout North Korea’s history to increase low labour productivity. In the late 1950s the state adopted a mass-mobilization measure called the Ch’ŏllima (“Flying Horse”) movement that was patterned on China’s Great Leap Forward of 1958–60. Subsequently, in the early 1960s, programs were instituted in agricultural and industrial management, called respectively the Ch’ongsan-ni Method and Taean Work System. In the late 1990s the country adopted the official goal of building a strong military and a prosperous economy, adopting the motto “Kangsŏng taeguk” (“Strong and prosperous nation”). Under this slogan Kim Jong Il paid meticulous attention to the military, his primary base of power, while opening parts of the economy to accommodate foreign investment and trade. [...] Reliable information on the performance of the North Korean economy usually has been lacking. Outside observers have concluded that the country has consistently failed to meet its stated goals and that production statistics released by the government often have been inflated. Thus, although North Korea has made strong efforts to transform an essentially agrarian economy into one centred on modern industry in the post-Korean War years, it is generally believed that the country has been only partially successful. [...] North Korea’s economic goals have always been linked to the general government policy of self-reliance (juche, or chuch’e). The country shunned foreign investment, although it accepted considerable economic aid from the Soviet Union and its satellite eastern European countries as well as from China. Despite its stated policy of self-reliance, North Korea routinely found it necessary to import such essential commodities as fuels and machinery as well as grain.

• Image

  

• Country

  North Korea

• Instance Of

  Q6256

• Population

  26,418,204

• Coordinates

  Lat: 40.0, Lon: 127.0

• Inception Date

  9/9/1948