North Korea. Economy of North Korea: description and interesting facts. Labor concentration camps
Welcome to North Korea - the most closed state in the world. More than 24 million people live in this unique country who do not know the Beatles and Michael Jackson or even the exact date of birth of their new leader. There is not a single working traffic light or ATM here, tourists are not allowed to bring mobile phones into the country, and people sincerely believe that they live in the best and freest country in the world.
North Korea attracts tourists with opportunity take a real trip into the past, the atmosphere of early socialism in everyday life and architecture.
Today's report will help you look at North Korea from the inside (2008-2012). Photos by award-winning Associated Press writer David Guttenfelder.
Thousands of people formed an image of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung at the stadium, Pyongyang, September 19, 2008:
A traffic controller on an empty street in the center of Pyongyang, April 13, 2011. Photo from a hotel window:
Class. Portraits of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung (left) and Kim Jong Il (right) hang on the wall, September 17, 2008:
Military Museum in Pyongyang. The guide talks about the Korean War - the conflict between North and South Korea, which lasted from the summer of 1950 to 1953:
In general, in North Korea there is ban on photographing military personnel. Lieutenant with Kim Il Sung badge, September 18, 2008:
Complete absence of cars and traffic jams, Pyongyang, September 19, 2008. There are practically no cars in private use:
The Taedong River in Pyongyang and the shadow of the 170-meter Juche Idea Monument, a monument built in 1982 in honor of Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday, March 16, 2011:
Juche Idea Monument at night:
It's pretty gloomy everywhere. A building under construction slowly in Pyongyang, April 13, 2011. A project of what it should look like hangs on the fence:
North Koreans bow before the monument to Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, April 14, 2011. When photographing this monument, you should never copy his pose by raising your right hand. You should also not take photographs where the images will be cropped (for example, “amputation” of legs):
Violin concert to celebrate the 99th birthday of the late leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, April 15, 2011:
Monument to the Three Charters of the Unification of the Motherland on Thongyir Avenue in Pyongyang. On both sides of the monument there are 4 halls lined with more than 800 precious stone slabs, April 18, 2011:
Airport, December 9, 2011. To North Korea You cannot import mobile phones and GPS navigators. They will be asked to submit to airport luggage storage:
Airfield and aircraft of Air Koryo Korean Airways - the state airline of North Korea, February 25, 2008:
The abundance of traffic controllers on the streets is explained simply: V Northern Korea No traffic lights. Function Girl traffic controllers take over the regulation of the small traffic, center of Pyongyang, September 16, 2008:
English language class. The students’ eagerness to answer the teacher’s questions is unusual for us:
Central department store in the center of Pyongyang, October 9, 2011. The sweater costs 1,696 won, which is approximately 370 rubles. On January 1, 2010, a ban was introduced on the use of foreign currency in North Korea. In addition, this country is the only one in the world where There are absolutely no taxes collected from the population:
Football fans at the central stadium in Pyongyang, October 11, 2011. As part of the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup, the Uzbekistan team won against North Korea with a score of 1:0:
Traffic controller at an intersection in Pyongyang in winter:
This concludes our journey back to the past.
North Korea, or Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a unique state, the impressions of visiting which cannot be compared with anything else. Do you want to visit the USSR?
North Korea - the country of people's happiness
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a unique state, the impressions of visiting which are incomparable to any other. If you want to travel back in time to the USSR, then you should visit this country.
DPRK- the most informationally closed state. Information about it is often stereotypical and represents myths, often without any basis or real relationship to reality. This is a country that lives under strict rules and laws based on the Juche ideology - a peculiar interpretation of socialism. Here all enterprises, land and even cars belong to the state. Rural residents work on collective farms, and all income received is equally divided among the members of the collective. I offer you a film about the DPRK - "A Hopeless Delusion"
This is a unique chance to see from the inside how North Korea, the most closed country in the world, lives and does not change. The film shows interviews with students, teachers, doctors, and military personnel who guard the country's nuclear potential. There is also a conversation with a prisoner of a North Korean concentration camp who managed to escape to South Korea.
Extraordinary tranquility, a measured way of life and a complete absence of crime are the characteristic features of this unique country.
Along the main roads there are many kilometers of borders with flowers, and there are never traffic jams on the six-lane highways of the capital Pyongyang. Mass folk festivals and youth dances in the streets, organized to the accompaniment of folk music, are filled with sincere joy and inspiration. And until fundamental changes begin here, welcome to the DPRK!
The flag of the DPRK, adopted on September 8, 1948, is colored in 3 colors. 3/5 of its width is occupied by a middle red stripe bordered by narrow white stripes. Wider blue stripes run along the upper and lower borders of the flag.
A five-pointed red star, a symbol of the country’s revolutionary traditions, placed in a white circle, adorned the North Korean flag closer to the flagpole.
- The red color of the widest stripe on the flag is a symbol of the freedom of spirit to the point of fanaticism of patriotic North Koreans.
- White color is a sign of the purity of their thoughts and ideals.
- Blue - symbolizes the desire to unite with the revolutionary, independent-minded forces of the planet in the struggle for peace and friendship throughout the world.
North Korea map
North Korea- an East Asian state that occupied the north of the Korean Peninsula and the adjacent part of the Eurasian continent. Its area is 120,540 km². Through the northern border from the DPRK you can get to China, through the northeastern border to Russia, and through the southern border to neighboring South Korea. The coast of the Yellow Sea encircles the DPRK in the west, and the coast of Japan in the east.
Almost the entire northeastern part of the country is covered by a network of plateaus and low mountain ranges. In the border area with China there is Mount Paektu, the highest point of the country (2750 m). The southwest of North Korea is covered by coastal plains. 
Agricultural lands are laid out on the terraces of numerous valleys, and the mountain slopes are covered with mixed and coniferous forests.
The rocky eastern coast is indented by many bays. It is in this part that the most densely populated capital of the world is located - Pyongyang (more than 2.47 million people).
The language of North Korea - from speech to speech
North Korea is inhabited by almost 24 million people, mainly represented by the largest ethnic group, the Choson Saram, the Koreans. In addition to them, the Chinese and Japanese live in the DPRK.
The largest cities of the DPRK are Pyongyang, Nampo, Chongjin, Sineiju, Wonsai and Kaesong.
The official Korean language belongs to the Altaic group. Unlike the language of its neighbors from South Korea, North Korean speech is characterized by many idioms borrowed from Russia and China. “Hangul” is the state script adopted in the country, one of the few forms that have survived to this day since the Middle Ages.
The climate in the DPRK is for the seasoned
The climate in the DPRK is relatively harsh for a resort holiday. Winter is frosty, clear and dry. The average temperature this season is -6 o C. In the mountainous areas it is colder - up to -18 o C. And although the winters in the country have little snow, however, cold piercing winds blow quite often.
Summer in North Korea is warm (+18 o – 22 o C), mild and very humid. And the rainy season, which begins in mid-summer, lasts until late autumn.
It is best to plan a visit to North Korea in early summer or mid-autumn.
North Korea - not a step aside!
Today you can only get into the DPRK as part of an organized group, because The stay of foreigners here is structured so that they “intersect” with the local population as little as possible. All tourist trips have a strict itinerary covering the main attractions of this country.
North Korea, as well as getting to know it, begins with Pyongyang, which became the capital of the Tangun state back in the 30th century BC. e. During the Korean War, it was destroyed almost to the ground, so you will not find an abundance of ancient monuments here. And the few buildings that you will be offered to see are just reconstructions. However, you will be interested in the monuments of the new historical era: the Arc de Triomphe, the House-Museum of Kim Il Sung, the great ideological leader of the DPRK, who was posthumously assigned the post of president of the country; Kumsusan Palace is a memorial where his body now rests; Mansudae Theater; a monument erected to the Juche ideas - a 170-meter-high monument, etc.
I suggest you watch a video about Pyongyang at night
There are more than 200 recreation areas, parks and squares in Pyongyang.
In the homeland of the “root of life” - the city of Kaesong, you will be shown the “old quarter”, in which about 100 ancient monuments have been preserved, and the largest factory for the production of ginseng preparations. And in the vicinity of the city you will visit the tomb of Wang Gon, the first king of the state of Koryo, and other historical burial places.
Most tourist routes include a visit to Panmujom, a place where a peace agreement with the opposing side was signed in 1957 after the war.
The Museum of Gifts, presented at the International Friendship Exhibition, is considered a must-see for foreign tourists.
According to or against the wishes of all museum visitors without exception)))))), they will have to bow before the wax figure of the Great Leader.
Well, for those who are deprived of such an opportunity, I suggest watching the film ""
“Life in North Korea”, about how this republic lives and breathes.
Life, of course, is not all sugar... Those who witnessed the era of socialism in our countries understand this especially well. But on the other hand, who knows how it would be better for Koreans to live and work under a different system and ruler?
But let's get back to our tourist sheep)))))
Tourist routes to the DPRK usually include visits to nature reserves and natural monuments, which continuously replace each other throughout the entire route. These are mountain ranges, bizarre rocks, stone gates, waterfalls, lakes, thermal and mineral springs, and numerous Buddhist shrines.
Hotels in North Korea - slippers provided
North Korea has its own unique hotel infrastructure, which is represented by recreation centers, mountaineering camps and hotels, the most famous of which are the Yangakdo, Sosan, Youth Hotel, and Ryangan hotels. If we consider their category according to Western European standards, then, basically, they can be classified as “3*” or “4*” (with an allowance for local specifics). But personal hygiene items, slippers and one TV channel are guaranteed to you))))))))))))))
Have an interesting and fun trip!))))))
North Korea is heaven on Earth, according to its leaders, and absolute hell, according to the citizens of this country who, by some miracle, managed to leave it. The interest of the world community in this country was fueled by the scandalous film “The Interview”, the plot of which was based on a fictional story about the assassination attempt on the leader of the DPRK Kim Jong-un. We have collected facts in our review, on the basis of which it becomes clear what is happening behind the “North Korean Iron Curtain”.
Labor concentration camps
There are currently about 16 huge labor camps in North Korea, comparable to gulags. They are located, as a rule, in mountainous areas. It is estimated that about 200 thousand prisoners are kept behind the barbed wire of these camps, through which electric current is also passed. Defectors, traitors and ex-politicians who do not belong to the DPRK government end up in North Korean gulags.
Punishment by inheritance
North Korean laws provide for punishment over "three generations": if someone commits a crime, not only will he pay, but also his children and grandchildren. They will all be punished accordingly. This usually results in people spending their entire lives in camps.
One of the worst crimes a North Korean citizen can commit is attempting to leave the country. Disagreement with the government is considered treason. And a person who decides to take an interest in how people live in other countries signs his own death warrant.
Insurance Fraud
The North Korean economy is in decline. The country practically does not interact with foreign markets, so there is no export as such. Currently, the population of North Korea is about 25 million people, and the average GDP per capita is about $500 (for comparison, in the Russian Federation in 2013 it was about $15,000). The country is struggling to feed its citizens and in this quest even resorts to economic crimes.
Thus, in 2009, the DPRK government was accused of global insurance fraud. The North Korean government took out huge insurance policies on property and equipment and then claimed that the property was destroyed. In 2005, several of the world's largest insurance companies, including Lloyd's of London, sued North Korea over an alleged helicopter crash and a $58 million policy payout.
Arms trade
In addition to insurance fraud, the United Nations has also accused North Korea of illegally selling weapons and nuclear technology to countries in Africa and the Middle East. So, in 2012, the UN detained a North Korean cargo heading to Syria - 450 cylinders of graphite intended for use in ballistic missiles. In 2009, shipments to Iran and the Republic of Congo were intercepted: one contained 35 tons of missile components, the other contained Soviet-era tanks
The UN imposed sanctions banning North Korea from supplying or selling missile technology, but the North Korean government has said the sanctions are illegal and the country can do whatever it wants. It is known that the bulk of the money goes into Kim Jong-un’s wallet, but not into food for his people.
Electricity shortage
The capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, is a kind of utopian city for the elite. Armed guards patrol the city's borders to keep the country's lower classes out of the city. Most Pyongyang residents live in luxury (at least according to the standards of this country). However, even for three million upper-class citizens, electricity is only turned on for an hour or two a day. Sometimes, especially in winter, electricity is cut off completely as millions of people try to fight the cold. Most houses outside Pyongyang are not even connected to the electricity grid. This is clearly visible in night photographs from space: China and South Korea are filled with lights, while North Korea is a solid dark spot.
Three caste system
In 1957, as Kim Il Sung struggled to maintain control over North Korea, he launched a global investigation into the "trustworthiness" of the country's population. The end result of this investigation was a completely changed social system, dividing the country's citizens into three classes: "enemies", "wavers" and "base".
This division was not based on the person's personality, but on his family history. Families loyal to the government were included in the "core" class and were given better opportunities in life. They are now usually politicians and people closely associated with the government.
People in the middle stratum are the “wavering” or neutral class. The government does not support them in any way, but does not oppress them either. With a happy coincidence of circumstances, they can become the “foundation”.
The “enemies” class included those people whose ancestors included those who had committed such terrible crimes against the state as Christianity and land ownership. According to Kim Il Sung, they are the main threat to the country. These people are deprived of the opportunity to receive an education, they cannot live even near Pyongyang and, as a rule, become beggars.
Fertilizers from human feces
North Korea is a mountainous country with cold winters and short, monsoon summers. About 80% of the country's territory is located on mountain slopes, so most of the land is infertile. North Korea has always relied on foreign aid to obtain fertilizer. Until the early 1990s, the DPRK helped the USSR with fertilizers, and until 2008, 500,000 tons of fertilizers per year came from South Korea. When imported fertilizers ran out, North Korean farmers were forced to turn to a new source - human waste. A state program has even been adopted, within the framework of which enterprises are given a quota for the delivery of feces - about 2000 tons per year. Today there are even stores selling human feces as fertilizer.
South Korean Citizenship
Many North Korean citizens are fleeing to neighboring countries. China's official policy is to deport them back across the border. At home, such refugees are either destroyed or sent to forced labor camps for many decades.
Unlike China, South Korea has a near-absolute clemency policy: all North Korean defectors (who are not criminals) are immediately granted citizenship, job training, and psychological counseling for those who need it. Refugees are offered an allowance of $800 per month, and employers who hire them can expect a bonus of $1,800.
All North Koreans need to do is provide proof of citizenship. But even in their absence, the authorities, as a rule, turn a blind eye to this. After all, refugees from the camps do not have any documents in principle.
Since 1953, there have been more than 24,500 North Korean defectors registered in South Korea. Since 2002, South Korea has received an average of 1,000 refugees each year. The Chinese government believes that up to 200,000 North Koreans are hiding illegally in the mountains and countryside of the Middle Kingdom. Many people who flee North Korea to China die during the long trek.
Cannibalism
Between 1994 and 1998, North Korea experienced extensive flooding and much of its agricultural land fell into disrepair. The growing debt to the USSR excluded food imports. As a result, entire cities began to die out. During this time, about 3.5 million people died of hunger - more than 10% of the country's population. Any food supplies were confiscated by the military in accordance with the Songun ("army first") policy. North Koreans started eating their pets, then crickets and tree bark, and finally children.
It was at that time that the saying became popular: “Don’t buy meat if you don’t know where it comes from.” According to the stories of defectors, in those years people looked for street children at train stations, put them to sleep and butchered them at home. There is at least one official report of a person who engaged in cannibalism.
Prisons and torture
Very few people escaped from the forced labor camps of the DPRK and survived and were able to talk about what happened there. Shin Dong-Hyuk is a man who escaped from the terrible "Camp 14", which is considered the most brutal labor camp in the country because the worst political criminals are kept there. His story is told in the book "Escape from Camp 14".
Shin was born in the camp because his uncle deserted the army and fled to South Korea. When he was 14 years old, he tried to escape with his mother and brother. They were caught and taken to an underground prison, where they were brutally tortured. According to Shin Dong-Hyuk, he was hung from the ceiling by his legs to obtain testimony against his mother. When this did not work, he was hung by his arms and legs with his back down and slowly lowered over a vat filled with hot coals until the skin on his back was completely burned. In between interrogations, he was thrown into a tiny concrete cell. Hundreds of people have been tortured in North Korean prisons.
And further…
In December 2011, after the end of mourning for Kim Jong Il, comradely trials of people who cried badly began in the country. As North Korean government media reported, the trials were carried out by labor collectives, and those found guilty faced up to six months in labor camps.
To dispel the gloomy picture a little, let us recall what the whole world considered to be true.
North Korea is a country located in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea is the unofficial name of the country. In fact, the full name is: Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK for short.
If you love, then be sure to read this article. Surely you will learn a lot of new things, although we do not intend to tell dizzying tales about the incredible life of the DPRK.
In fact, you can find tons of false information about North Korea on the Internet. Reading such things is certainly interesting, but if you want to know the facts, and not cleverly invented fakes, then welcome.
First, some data. North Korea borders China and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). It is washed by the Yellow and Japanese Seas. The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang.
The DPRK as a state was founded on September 9, 1948, after the Republic of Korea was proclaimed on September 9. All power in North Korea belongs to the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and its immediate leader today, Kim Jong-un.
The main state ideology is called Juche. Its key principle is self-reliance in all spheres of human and state life.
Kim Il Sung is the founder of the North Korean state and its de facto leader in 1948-1994. It was he who became an ideologist. He, in fact, is the main cult figure of North Korea, as in the USSR - and in China - Mao Zedong.
An interesting fact is that Kim Il Sung is officially the eternal president of the DPRK. The preamble to the new constitution adopted in 1998 contains the following words:
“The DPRK and the Korean people, under the leadership of the WPK, honoring the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung as the eternal President of the Republic, defending, inheriting and developing His deeds and ideas, will successfully lead our Juche revolutionary cause to a victorious conclusion.”
Moreover, from July 8, 1997, the chronology in North Korea takes the year of birth of Kim Il Sung (1912) as the starting point. There is no year zero. When writing dates in documents, in order to avoid errors, both chronology are used together in the form (May 1, 106 Juche).
The day is a public holiday in the DPRK. It is celebrated on April 15 in honor of the birthday of Kim Il Sung, who is called the “Sun of the Nation” in North Korea.
In other words, among North Koreans there is not just a personality cult of the founder of the republic, but a real deification of him. Something similar can only be compared with the Egyptian pharaohs, who were officially considered demigods.
After the death of Kim Il Sung, who ruled the country until the end of his life, the DPRK was led by his son Kim Jong Il. He strengthened the cult of personality, surrounding the superman and himself, along with his father, with glory.
However, he died in 2011, leaving the reign to his son. There is dynastic continuity.
North Korea today
Now the highest leader of the DPRK is Kim Jong-un, the grandson of the founder of the republic. He was born in 1982, and it was under his rule that relations with Russia almost reached a nuclear conflict. in one of his interviews he spoke about Kim Jong-un:
From left to right: Kim Il Sung (founder of the DPRK), his son Kim Jong Il, and his grandson and current leader of North Korea - Kim Jong Un.“Being very young, he received power and was able to maintain it. I am sure that many, including his uncle, tried to take this power away from him. But he held her. So obviously he's a pretty smart guy."
The population of North Korea is 24.7 million people (51st place in the world).
Recently, the DPRK has become increasingly popular among tourists. And this is no coincidence, because the forbidden fruit is always sweet.
An interesting fact is that this country is considered the most isolated in the world. This is largely due to ideology, and not just objective factors.
Well, now let's move on to the dark secrets of the DPRK.
There is absolutely no Internet access in North Korea. Of course, not for everyone, but for the bulk of the population. The chosen ones have access to the intrastate Internet, which is called Gwangmyeon.
There are about 1,000 websites approved by the country's leadership that do not contradict the Juche ideas. Just think, for 25 million North Koreans there are just over 1 thousand IP addresses.
Many facts about North Korea sound simply anecdotal. For example, the government of the country declares that it does not give its citizens free access to the Internet so that they... do not become completely disillusioned with the West. Wow!
Mobile communications were completely banned from 2004 to 2009. At the moment there is no such ban. However, due to prices unthinkable for ordinary North Koreans, the vast majority of residents do not have mobile phones.
Diversity is good, but only within the limits set by the government. Guided by this principle, as many as 10 types of men's hairstyles are allowed in North Korea. Women are luckier: they have as many as 18 hairstyle options at their disposal.
Any “illegal” hairstyle has very negative consequences. Again, you can find information on the Internet that people are allegedly shot for having the “wrong” hairstyle. In fact, this is a long-debunked myth, although no one wants to stand out with an original haircut anyway.
An interesting fact is that labor camps are widespread in North Korea. Any bad joke about the current regime or a really serious crime can become a reason for arrest and sending to a forced labor camp.
According to rough estimates, they house about 200 thousand prisoners.
If we talk about the death penalty, there are many fictions and rumors associated with it. Many of them are deliberately distributed by South Korea, the sworn enemy of the DPRK. Despite the fact that most of them have been officially refuted, often even very reputable sites publish absolutely fake messages under the headings “Why you can be executed in North Korea”, “15 offenses for which you can be sentenced to death in North Korea” " and so on.
Therefore, we consider it necessary to provide reliable information on this matter.
What is the death penalty really for in a state isolated from the world? Here are all the criminal articles for which capital punishment is imposed:
- Terrorism (Article 61)
- Treason to the Motherland (Article 63)
- Sabotage and sabotage (Article 65)
- Betrayal of the nation (Article 68)
- Smuggling and drug trafficking (Article 208)
- Premeditated murder (Article 266)
All other crimes are punished, as a rule, by exile to a camp. An interesting fact is that, according to various sources, executions are often carried out in public. Convicts are deprived of their lives by execution.
Pornography is considered a serious crime in North Korea. Therefore, severe punishment is provided for it.
From 1995 to 1999, there was a severe famine in the DPRK due to unprecedented rains and other natural disasters that destroyed almost the entire harvest. It is believed that then from 220 thousand to 3.5 million people died from famine. Horrible stories of cannibalism are associated with this period.
The extreme militarization (belligerence) of North Korea is a well-known fact. The DPRK army ranks 4th in size after China, the USA and India. It has about 1.2 million people, plus 7.7 million reserves.
On January 23, 1968, in international waters 15 miles off the coast of North Korea, the US Navy electronic intelligence ship USS Pueblo was surrounded and captured. The sailors ended up in prisoner of war camps, and the ship still stands at one of the piers, being an important military symbol.
US ship seized by North Korea As of 2016, the annexation of Crimea by Russia was recognized by North Korea, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Syria.
Interestingly, the literacy rate in the DPRK is 100%.
North and South Korea are separated by the so-called neutral demilitarized zone (DMZ). Its width is 4 km and its length is 241 km: it passes through the entire Korean Peninsula.
It is on this territory that, since its creation in 1953, negotiations have been held between the two republics of the peninsula. Despite its name, it is the most militarized border in the world.
79th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army In North Korea, marijuana is not prohibited and is freely available. There is information that it is even recommended as a healthier alternative to tobacco.
Neungnado May Day Stadium, which is located in the capital of the DPRK Pyongyang, is the largest stadium in the world. It seats 150,000 people.
In 2011, North Korean researchers found that their citizens were the second happiest country after China. They placed the United States at the very end of the list with a short note: “Long dead.”
There are few cars on the roads of the republic. As a rule, these are either Chinese cars, or Russian UAZs and even Prioras.
According to reviews from many tourists, North Korea has an ideal mechanism for denunciations of “outsiders.” That is, if you, as a tourist and contrary to the ban, elude the vigilant escort from the state security agencies, ordinary citizens will immediately report this to the right place. This is not done because of personal hostility, but for reasons of the highest security goals of one’s state.
With all this, almost everyone who was lucky enough to visit North Korea says that this is a real historical reserve that survived both the Berlin Wall. What you cannot take away from the North Koreans is their sincere hospitality and naive, charming simplicity.
In conclusion, I would like to add that there are so many fables about North Korea that any dubious fact must be carefully checked. In 99% of cases this will turn out to be a myth.
North Korea Photos
Reunification Arch in Pyongyang 
Ryugyong Hotel (right) in the panorama of Pyongyang. The hotel was completed in 2016, but has not yet been put into operation. 
Cabinet Building at Kim Il Sung Square 
Each metro station is decorated with similar paintings 
Kumsusan Sun Memorial Palace (Mausoleum). It is here that both embalmed leaders lie. 
Monument to the Workers' Party of Korea 
Square in Pyongyang 
Korean students look at tourists with curiosity 
Such skyscrapers were built only in Pyongyang 
Morning in Kaesong city. Cars pass very rarely. And, of course, don’t forget to subscribe to the site on any social network if you really like interesting facts.
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1. North Korea is officially the most corrupt country in the world. The Corruption Index ranks every country in the world from 0 to 100 based on how corrupt it is. Moreover, 0 points means the highest level of corruption, and 100 indicates its absence in the country. Every year, North Korea and Somalia come in last place.
2. North Korea, or better known as the DPRK, has the fourth largest army in the world, with 1.2 million active members, and its armed forces number 1.4 million.
3. There are 28 state-sanctioned haircuts in North Korea. Women are allowed to choose from 18 styles. Married women are required to wear shorter hair, while single ladies are allowed to have long hair. Men, on the other hand, have the right to choose from 10 government-approved haircuts, all of which are short. All North Korean men are prohibited from having hair longer than 5 centimeters.
4. North Korea has a 100% literacy rate. Literacy is defined as individuals aged 15 years or older who can read and write.
5. North Korea has 25,554 kilometers of roads, but only 724 kilometers are paved. This is insignificant - 2.83%.
6. The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a 250-kilometer strip of land that separates South Korea from North Korea. It was created at the end of the Korean War in 1953 as a neutral zone where the two countries could discuss issues calmly. Despite its name, it is the most militarized border in the world. The soldiers guarding the DMZ are ordered to shoot anyone who tries to enter the country. This fact has made China the most popular evacuation route for North Koreans. 80% of defectors are women.
7. Surprisingly, the Korean DMZ is home to some of the world's most endangered plant and animal species. Extremely rare species such as the Korean tiger, the elusive Amur leopard and the Asiatic black bear have found homes among the mines and listening posts. In this relatively small area, ecologists discovered about 2,900 species of plants, 70 species of mammals and 320 species of birds. The South Korean government has repeatedly proposed to UNESCO to turn the DMZ into a nature reserve to protect endangered animals, but each time North Korea has refused to enter into such an agreement.
8. In the 1950s, North Korea built Kijong-Dong on the North Korean side of the DMZ, which was easily visible from South Korea. North Korea said it was an ideal city. It supposedly has a kindergarten, primary and secondary schools, and a hospital. The idea was to make the city so attractive that South Koreans would want to move to North Korea. However, observations of the DMZ from the South Korean side showed that the city is virtually uninhabited. It has remained this way ever since it was built. It came to be called “village propaganda.”
9. In the 1980s, the South Korean government built a 98-meter tall flagpole on the southern side of the DMZ, near the border. The North Korean government responded by building an even taller building in Kijun-dong, which they call the "flagpole war." At the time, it was the second tallest flagpole in the world. Over the past 60 years, more than 23,000 North Koreans have moved to South Korea. Then as soon as the two South Koreans left north of the border.
10. North Korea has its own operating system called Red Star OS. Much of the software, such as the web browser, word processor and firewall, are custom programs written by North Korea.
11. In 1974, Kim Il Sung took 1,000 Volvo sedans from Sweden to North Korea and did not pay for them.
12. In 2013, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un executed his uncle and five of his aides by locking them in a cage and feeding them to 120 hungry dogs. But what did Uncle Kim do to deserve such a terrible death? Kim accused his uncle of economic mismanagement, corruption, intoxication and drug use.
13. Marijuana is completely legal in North Korea and is not even classified as a drug. It is widely used for medicinal purposes.
14. North Korea is the only country on Earth to have captured a US Navy ship.
15. In North Korea, the year is not 2015, but 104. The countdown begins from the birth of Kim Jong Un's grandfather and the founder of the DPRK, Kim Il Sung.
16. North Korea is home to the world's largest stadium. Impressive Maysky Stadium can accommodate 150,000 people per day. The annual Arirang Games are held here and are some of the most impressive competitions of coordination and choreography on Earth.
17. Hotel Rügen in North Korea is a 105-story building that for 20 years held the title of the world's tallest hotel. Construction began in 1987, but was stopped before completion in 1992 when North Korea entered a period of economic crisis following the collapse of the Soviet Union. This gigantic building now towers over Pyongyang and stands completely empty.
18. Only military and government officials are allowed to own vehicles in North Korea. Transport in general is strictly controlled. North Korean citizens are generally prohibited from traveling at all, even within their own country.
19. North Korea's space agency is called NADA, which means "nothing" in Spanish. National Aerospace Development Administration. The program is only 20% successful.
20. Wearing jeans is illegal in North Korea because jeans symbolize North Korea's enemy, the United States.
21. Every 5 years, North Korea holds general elections and only one candidate appears on the ballot.
22. In 2012, North Korea officially announced that it had discovered a unicorn's lair. The DPRK's official news agency released a statement claiming that they had discovered a cave 200 meters from the city of Pyongyang, in front of which there is a rectangular rock with the inscription "Unicorn's Lair". They believe that the unicorn was ridden by an ancient Korean king named King Tongmyeong.
23. North Korea is dotted with prison labor camps. Where prisoners are reportedly subjected to horrific inhumane treatment. The prisoners of these concentration camps suffered from slavery, torture and experiments comparable to the Holocaust. Although North Korea denies the existence of such camps, insider sources claim there are 16 such camps housing 200,000 prisoners.
24. North Korea punishes three generations at once. This means that the prisoner is sent to the camp along with his family, regardless of whether they participated in the crime or not. In addition, all family members who were born in prison will live there their entire lives.
25. North Koreans have a six-day work week. The seventh day is supposed to be a day of "volunteer" work, but it is strictly observed. That is, North Koreans have practically no free time. Official records show that Kim Jong Il learned to walk at the age of three weeks and talk at eight weeks. He reportedly studied at Kim Il Sung University and wrote 1,500 books over three years, as well as six complete operas. According to his official biography, all of his operas are “the best in the history of music.” Kim Jong Il's biography also says that he was born under a double rainbow, and to mark his birth, a new star and a swallow appeared in the sky. It is also written that he could control the weather and make it rain on command, depending on his mood. In fact, the list of dubious accomplishments and feats of valor surrounding the former North Korean leader is endless.
26. Students should know everything about their current leader, as well as his two predecessors. Even if the facts are a little fabricated.
The article was prepared by ©Marina, who loves to travel, learn new things and share interesting articles with us. Now you and I know for sure that it is better to postpone a trip to North Korea. Marina is also the organizer of a juicy music blog, and gives professional advice.