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Democratic People's Republic of Korea
조선민주주의인민공화국
朝鮮民主主義人民共和國
Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk
Motto: Prosperous and Great Country (강성대국)
Anthem: Aegukka
Location of North Korea
Capital
and largest city
P'yŏngyang
Official languagesKorean
GovernmentCommunist single-party state
Establishment
• Water (%)
4.87%
Population
• 2006 estimate
22,900,0003 (48th)
• 2005 census
N/A
GDP (PPP)2005 estimate
• Total
$40 billion (85th)
• Per capita
$1,800 (149th)
HDI (2003)NA
Error: Invalid HDI value (unranked)
CurrencyWon (₩n) (KPW)
Time zoneUTC+9
• Summer (DST)
UTC+10, does not observe
Calling code850
ISO 3166 codeKP
Internet TLDnone, .kp reserved
1Kim Jong Il is the nation's most powerful figure; his official title is Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, a positition which he has held unopposed for 12 years
2Kim Yong Nam is the "head of state for foreign affairs"; Kim Il Sung (deceased) officially holds the title of "Eternal President of the Republic"
3Population estimates vary widely; some aid organizations place the population between 18 and 20 million–North Korea does not release figures

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is an East Asian country in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is one of the few remaining socialist states and its government is often described as Stalinist, totalitarian, and isolationist. Both "North" Korea and "South" Korea claim to be the single legitimate government of the entire Korean peninsula and nation.

To the south, it is bordered by South Korea, with which it formed a single territorial unit known as Korea until 1945. Its northern border is predominantly with the People's Republic of China. The Russian Federation shares a 18.3 kilometre (11.4 mi) border along the Tumen River in the far northeast corner of the country.

Name

Main article: Names of Korea

North Koreans call their country Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk (조선민주주의인민화국) or, more commonly, Pukchosŏn (북조선, "North Chosŏn"). Chosŏn is a reference to Gojoseon.

History

Main article: History of North Korea

The Japanese rule of Korea ceased with the end of World War II in 1945. Korea was occupied by the Soviet Union north of the 38th Parallel and by the United States south of the 38th parallel, but the United States and the Soviet Union were unable to agree on 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 eventually led to the Korean War, when on June 25, 1950 the (North) Korean People's Army crossed the 38th Parallel, claiming that the South had crossed it first, and attacked. The war continued until July 27, 1953, when the United Nations Command and Korean People's Army and the Chinese People's Volunteers signed the Korean War Armistice Agreement. The DMZ separated the two countries.

North Korea was led by Kim Il Sung from 1948 until his death on July 8, 1994. After his death, his son Kim Jong Il was named General Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party on October 8, 1997. 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 in June 2000. However, tensions with the United States recently increased when North Korea resumed its nuclear weapons program.

During 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 [1]. 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.

See also: History of Korea, Division of Korea

Politics

Main article: Politics of North Korea

Government

North Korea is one of the world's last communist states. The government is dominated by the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), to which 80 percent of government officials belong. The KWP's ideology is called Juche (self-reliance), which is seen as closely related to Stalinism. The KWP replaced mentions of Marxism-Leninism in the North Korean constitution with Juche in 1977. Communist critics of the KWP deny that it is a Marxist-Leninist state. Minor political parties exist, but they are subordinated to the KWP and do not oppose its rule. The exact power structure of the country is debated by outside observers.

Nominally, the Premier is the head of government, but real 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. Within the country he is commonly known by the title of "Dear Leader", part of his personality cult. Similarly, his late father Kim Il-sung held the title of "Great Leader."

Juche Tower, Pyongyang

The 1998 constitution states that the late Kim Il-sung is "Eternal President of the Republic," and 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 "represents the State" and receives credentials from foreign ambassadors. The government of the republic is led by the Prime Minister and, in theory, a super cabinet called the Central People's Committee (CPC), the government's top policymaking body. The CPC is headed by the President, who also nominates the other committee members. The CPC makes policy decisions and supervises the Cabinet, or State Administration Council (SAC). 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 officially the highest organ of state power. Its 687 members are elected every five years by popular vote. The People's Assembly usually holds only two annual meetings, each lasting a few days; it typically ratifies decisions made by the ruling KWP (see rubberstamp (politics)). 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

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.

Refugees have testified the existence of detention camps with estimated 150,000 to 200,000 inmates, and reported torture, starvation, rape, murder and slave labour [2]. Japanese television aired what it said was footage of a prison camp [3]. In some of the camps, former inmates say the annual mortality rate approaches 25% [4]. A former prison guard and army intelligence officer said that in one camp, chemical weapons were tested on prisoners in a gas chamber [5]. According to a former prisoner, pregnant women inside the camps have either forced abortions or the newborn child is killed [6]. None of these claims can be verified, as North Korea denies the existence of the camps and does not grant entry to independent human rights observers.

Famine

North Korea's famine killed between 600,000 and 3.5 million people, mostly during the 1990s [7] [8]. By 1999, food and development aid reduced famine deaths, but North Korea's continuing nuclear program led to a decline in foreign 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 [9] [10]. However, the Korean government stated that the 2005 cereal harvest reached 4.6 million tonnes (a 10% increase in comparison with 2004), the best harvest for the past ten years.

Geography

Main article: Geography of North Korea

North Korea is on the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula that extends 1,100 kilometres (685 mi) from the Asian mainland. North Korea shares its borders with three nations and two seas. To the west it borders the Yellow Sea and the Korea Bay and to the east it borders the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea). North Korea borders South Korea, China, and Russia. 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 jangma, and winters that can be bitterly cold on occasion. North Korea'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 economy has been relatively stagnant since the 1970s. The government refuses to release economic data, limiting the amount of reliable information available. Publicly owned industry produces nearly all manufactured goods. The government continues to focus on heavy military industry. As of 2005, the government is estimated to have spent around 25% of the nation's GDP on the military (compared with 2.5% for neighboring South Korea).[11]

The 1990s saw a series of natural disasters, political mismanagement, and corruption scandals. This, along with the collapse of the Soviet bloc, has caused significant economic disruption. The agricultural outlook is poor, and some food products are deliberately diverted away from citizens and into the military. The combined effects of a reclusive state, serious fertilizer shortages, and structural constraints — such as little arable land and a short growing season — have 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. Recent evidence suggests serious food shortages.[12]

North Korea has previously received international food and fuel aid from China, South Korea, and theUnited States in exchange for promises not to develop nuclear weapons. 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., Japan, Russia, and China in exchange for abandoning its nuclear weapons program and rejoining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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 amount of open-air farmer markets have increased in Kaesong, P'yŏngyang, as well as the China-North Korea border, bypassing the food rationing system.

Moreover, there have been few economic improvements since 1999. According to the Ministry of Unification of South Korea, the GDP grew by 6.2% in 1999, 1.3% in 2000, 3.2 % in 2001, 1.2% in 2002 and 1.8 % in 2003. Similar figures have been projected for 2004 and 2005.

In 2003, the Pong Su, a North Korean cargo ship that was being used to smuggle heroin into Australia was seized by Australian officials. The North Korean government denies involvement, but Australia and the United States have said the case of the Pong Su strengthens their suspicions that Pyongyang deals in drugs to help support its failing economy. The Pong Su was, in 2006, bombed as target practice by an Australian fighter jet. [13]

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

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of North Korea

North Korea's population is one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous in the world, with only very small numbers of Chinese and Japanese minorities. Most others are temporary residents, mostly being Russians and other East Europeans, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Religion

Main article: Religion in North Korea

Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are revered in many aspects of public life in North Korea, often with proclamations containing quasi-religious overtones. Religious activities of other kinds are heavily suppressed by the officially atheist state, especially Protestantism, which is seen as closely connected to the U.S.

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 allege are mere show-cases for foreigners. [14] [15]. It is usually estimated that there are about 4,000 Catholics in North Korea, and about 9,000 Protestants, of a population of 20,000,000, and those that do practice Christianity are severely persecuted.

According to a ranking published by the organisation Open Doors, North Korea is currently the country with the most severe persecution of Christians worldwide [16].

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. Small differences have arisen, primarily in the words used for recent innovations.

The most notable linguistic difference between the two Koreas is in the written language, with the elimination of Chinese characters from normal use in North Korea. In contrast, in South Korea Chinese characters are still in use to some extent, though in many contexts, such as newspapers, few are used.

The official romanisation is also different. North Korea continues to use the McCune-Reischauer romanisation of Korean, in contrast to the South's revised version.

Another linguistic difference lies in the use of English. South Koreans have integrated many words from English into their vernacular while the North Koreans have not.

Culture

Main article: Culture of North Korea
File:Spectacular Arirang.jpg
The annual Arirang Festival involves over 100,000 performers.

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 Koguryo 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 are 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.

See also: Culture of Korea, Korean cuisine, Music of Korea, Public holidays in North Korea, Education in North Korea

Tourism

In principle, any person is allowed to travel to North Korea, and among those who actually go through the complex application process, almost no one is refused entry by North Korea. Visitors are not allowed to travel outside designated tour areas without their Korean guides.

Tourists holding passports from the United States are typically not granted visas, although exceptions have been made in 1995, 2002, and 2005. North Korea has informed tour operators that they will also grant visas to United States passport holders for 2006. Citizens of South Korea require special government permission from both governments to enter North Korea. In 2002, the area around Mount Kŭmgang, a scenic mountain close to the South Korea border, has been designated as a special tourist destination (Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region, commonly known as "the Diamond Mountains" in English), where South Korean citizens do not need special permissions. Tours run by private companies bring thousands of South Koreans to Mount Kŭmgang every year.

In July 2005 the South Korean company Hyundai Group came to an agreement with the North Korean government to open up more areas to tourism, including Mount Paektu and Kaesong.

Subdivisions

Main article: Subdivisions of North Korea
Map of North Korea

As of 2005, North Korea consists of two Directly-Governed Cities (Chikhalsi; 직할시; 直轄市), three special regions with various designations, and nine Provinces (See provinces of Korea). (Names are romanized according to the McCune-Reischauer system as officially used in North Korea; the editor was also guided by the spellings used on the 2003 National Geographic map of Korea).

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

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)

Special regions

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)

Major cities

See also Cities of North Korea

See also

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 1592285910
  • Bruce Cumings, Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History, W.W. Norton & Company, 1998, paperback, 527 pages, ISBN 0393316815
  • Bruce Cumings, Origins of the Korean War: Liberation and the Emergence of Separate Regimes, Princeton University Press, 1981, paperback, ISBN 0691101132
  • Nick Eberstadt, aka Nicholas Eberstadt, The End of North Korea, American Enterprise Institute Press (1999), hardcover, 191 pages, ISBN 084474087X
  • John Feffer, North Korea South Korea: U.S. Policy at a Time of Crisis, Seven Stories Press, 2003, paperback, 197 pages, ISBN 1583226036
  • Kang, Chol-Hwan (2001). The Aquariums of Pyongyang. Basic Books, 2001. ISBN 0465011020.
  • 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 0700611711
  • Bradley Martin, Under The Loving Care Of The Fatherly Leader: North Korea And The Kim Dynasty, St. Martins (October, 2004), hardcover, 868 pages, ISBN 0312322216
  • Oberdorfer, Don. The two Koreas : a contemporary history. Addison-Wesley, 1997, 472 pages, ISBN 0201409275
  • Kong Dan Oh, and Ralph C. Hassig, North Korea Through the Looking Glass, The Brookings Institution, 2000, paperback, 216 pages, ISBN 0815764359
  • Quinones, Dr. C. Kenneth, and Joseph Tragert, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding North Korea, Alpha Books, 2004, paperback, 448 pages, ISBN 1592571697
  • Sigal, Leon V., Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea, Princeton University Press, 199, 336 pages, ISBN 0691057974
  • Vladimir, Cyber North Korea, Byakuya Shobo, 2003, paperback, 223 pages, ISBN 4893678817
  • Norbert Vollertsen, Inside North Korea: Diary of a Mad Place, Encounter Books, 2003, hardcover, 280 pages, ISBN 1893554872
  • Michael Harrold, Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea, Wiley Publishing, 2004, paperback, 432 pages, ISBN 0470869763

Web sites about North Korea

Web sites criticizing North Korea

Documentaries on North Korea

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