Korea, North

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Major Cities of Korea, North in the continent of Asia

PyongyangHamhungChongjinSunchonNamphoTanchonSinuijuKaechonWonsanSariwonKaesongAnjuTokchonHaejuKanggye

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Korea, North Realty




THE KOREA NORTH COAT OF ARMS
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North Korea - Location Map (2013) - PRK - UNOCHA.svg
Location of Korea North within the continent of Asia
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Map of Korea North
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Flag Description of Korea North:The North Korea flag was officially adopted on September 9, 1948.

The two blue stripes signify sovereignty, peace and friendship. the white stripes signify purity, red represents the Communist revolution and the red star is the recognized symbol of Communism.

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Official name Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)
Form of government unitary single-party republic with one legislative house (Supreme People’s Assembly [687])
Head of state and government Supreme Leader: Kim Jong-Eun
Capital P’yŏngyang
Official language Korean
Official religion none
Monetary unit (North Korean) won (W)
Population (2013 est.) 24,720,000COLLAPSE
Total area (sq mi) 47,399
Total area (sq km) 122,762
Urban-rural population

Urban: (2011) 60.3%
Rural: (2011) 39.7%

Life expectancy at birth

Male: (2012) 65 years
Female: (2012) 73.2 years

Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate

Male: not available
Female: not available

GNI per capita (U.S.$) (2009) 942


Background of North Korea

North Korea, country in East Asia. It occupies the northern portion of the Korean peninsula, which juts out from the Asian mainland between the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and the Yellow Sea; North Korea covers about 55 percent of the peninsula’s land area. The country is bordered by China and Russia to the north and by the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to the south. The national capital, P’yŏngyang, is a major industrial and transport centre near the west coast.

North Korea faces South Korea across a demilitarized zone (DMZ) 2.5 miles (4 km) wide that was established by the terms of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950–53). The DMZ, which runs for about 150 miles (240 km), constitutes the 1953 military cease-fire line and roughly follows latitude 38° N (the 38th parallel) from the mouth of the Han River on the west coast of the Korean peninsula to a little south of the North Korean town of Kosŏng on the east coast.

Geography of Korea, North

The Land

Relief

Mountains and valleys characterize most of North Korea. The Kaema Highlands in the northeast have an average elevation of 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) above sea level and form the topographic roof of the entire Korean peninsula. Mount Paektu (9,022 feet [2,750 metres]), the highest mountain in North Korea and on the peninsula, rises at the northern edge of this plateau in the Changbaek (Changbai) Mountains along the Sino-Korean border; it is an extinct volcano topped by a large crater lake. The Nangnim Mountains run from north to south through the middle of the country, forming a divide between the eastern and western slopes of the peninsula. The Kangnam and Myohyang ranges and Mounts Ŏnjin and Myŏrak, all structural extensions of the Nangnim Mountains, extend parallel to each other toward the southwest. Large river-valley plains have developed between the western mountains; they merge along the narrow, irregular coastal plain on the west coast. The Hamgyŏng Mountains, extending from the Nangnim Mountains to the northeast, form a steep slope between the Kaema Highlands and the East Sea. The T’aebaek Mountains extend from southeastern North Korea into South Korea along the eastern coast; one peak, Mount Kŭmgang (5,374 feet [1,638 metres]), is renowned for its scenic beauty.

Drainage and soils

The longest river of North Korea is the Yalu, in Korean called the Amnok. It rises on the southern slope of Mount Paektu and flows southwestward for some 500 miles (800 km) to its mouth on Korea Bay. The Tumen (Tuman) River also begins at Mount Paektu but runs northeastward for about 325 miles (520 km) to the East Sea. There are no large streams along the east coast except for the Tumen River, and all the significant rivers, such as the Yalu, Ch’ŏngch’ŏn, Taedong, Chaeryŏng, and Yesŏng, drain to the Yellow Sea. The relatively large valley plains of the western rivers are major agricultural regions.

More than three-fifths of the soils are locally derived from the weathering of granitic rocks or various kinds of schists (crystalline rocks). The soils are generally brownish, abundant in sandy materials, and low in fertility. Well-developed reddish brown soils derived from limestone are found in North Hwanghae province and the southern part of South P’yŏngan province. Podzols (ash-gray forest soil) have developed in the Kaema Highlands as a result of the cold climate and coniferous forest cover there. Although most of the soils are infertile and lack organic content, the valleys and coastal plains have relatively rich alluvial soils.

Climate

North Korea has a generally cool continental climate. The winter season, from December to March, is long and cold; mean temperatures in January range between about 20 °F (−7 °C) in the south and −10 °F (−23 °C) in the northern interior. The summer, from June to September, is warm, with mean July temperatures above the upper 60s F (about 20 °C) in most places. Accordingly, the annual range of temperatures is large—about 54 °F (30 °C) at P’yŏngyang and about 77 °F (43 °C) at Chunggang (Chunggangjin), where the lowest temperature in the Korean peninsula, −46.5 °F (−43.6 °C), has been recorded. Because of ocean currents and the mountain ranges bordering the narrow coastal lowlands, winter temperatures on the east coast are some 5 to 7 °F (3 to 4 °C) higher than those of the west coast.

Most of the country receives about 40 inches (1,000 mm) of precipitation annually. The northern inland plateau, however, receives only about 24 inches (610 mm) and the lower reaches of the Taedong River valley 32 inches (810 mm), while the upper Ch’ŏngch’ŏn River area averages between about 48 and 52 inches (1,220 and 1,320 mm) yearly. Some three-fifths of the annual precipitation falls in the four months from June to September; this heavy concentration of rainfall is related to the humid summer monsoon from the Pacific Ocean, which also produces occasional typhoons (tropical cyclones). Only a small portion of the total precipitation occurs in winter, generally as snow; snowfall can be locally heavy, as in the T’aebaek Mountains. There are about 200 frost-free days along the coast but fewer than 120 in the northern Kaema Highlands.

Plant and animal life

Vegetation on the highlands, especially around Mount Paektu, consists of coniferous trees such as the Siberian fir, spruce, pine, and Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis). The western lowlands were originally covered by temperate mixed forests with many types of plants, but continuous deforestation has left only remote patches of the original forests. Most of the lowlands are now cultivated, except for some of the hills that are covered with small pine groves mixed with oaks, lindens, maples, and birches. Along streams that are subject to flooding or where the ground is too stony for cultivation, reeds, sedges, wild mulberry trees, and Italian poplars are found. Common river fish include carp and eels.

Because of deforestation, the populations of deer, mountain antelope, goats, tigers, and leopards have greatly decreased and are restricted to the remote forests. In the plains, however, it is still possible to see wild pigeons, herons, cranes (which nest near areas of human habitation), and many migratory waterfowl, which alight in the rice fields.

The DMZ between North and South Korea has become a de facto nature preserve. Once farmland and subsequently a devastated battleground, the DMZ has lain almost untouched since the end of hostilities in 1953 and has reverted to nature to a large extent, making it one of the most pristine undeveloped areas in Asia. The zone contains many ecosystems including forests, estuaries, and wetlands frequented by migratory birds. It serves as a sanctuary for hundreds of bird species, among them the endangered white-naped and red-crowned cranes, and is home to dozens of fish species and Asiatic black bears, lynxes, and other mammals.


Demography of Korea, North

The People

  • Ethnic groups and languages

The Korean peninsula is one of the most ethnically homogeneous regions in the world. The North Korean population, which has been largely isolated since 1945, is almost entirely Korean; a tiny number of Chinese constitute the only other significant ethnic group. All Koreans speak the Korean language, whose relationship to other languages is disputed; it may be related to Japanese or languages of the Altaic group, and it contains many Chinese loanwords. The Korean script, known in North Korea as Chosŏn muntcha and in South Korea as han’gŭl (Hangul), is composed of phonetic symbols for the 10 vowels and 14 consonants. In North Korea a systematic effort has been made to eliminate Chinese and Western loanwords, as well as any vestiges of the Japanese imposed during the colonial period, and Chosŏn muntcha has been used exclusively without Chinese characters in newspapers and other publications since 1945.

  • Religion

Historically, the way of life and the value system of Koreans were based fundamentally on Confucian thought. To a lesser extent, Buddhism was also important. Roman Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived in the 18th and 19th centuries, respectively; Sunch’ŏn and P’yŏngyang were major centres of Christian activities. The Japanese occupation beginning in the early 20th century brought increasing repression of Christianity, and by the end of World War II there were no foreign missionaries left in the country.

The monotheistic religion of Ch’ŏndogyo (“Teaching of the Heavenly Way”), originally known as Tonghak (“Eastern Learning”), was founded by the Confucian teacher Ch’oe Che-u in 1860. A combination largely of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity, Ch’ŏndogyo played a leading role in the March 1st Movement of 1919. Shamanism—the religious belief in gods, demons, and ancestral spirits responsive to a priest, or shaman—existed in Korea before the introduction of Buddhism and Confucianism; its practice has nearly died out in North Korea.

The communist regime has constitutionally confirmed freedom of religion but does not practice it. Ch’ŏndogyo, however, has been used for propaganda purposes, and from the late 20th century Christianity was sometimes used as a means for contact with South Korea and the West. After the Korean War, churches and Buddhist temples were confiscated and looted, and many were converted to other purposes. Religious activity generally has remained under state control, although in the late 20th and early 21st centuries there was some increase in independent practices.

  • Settlement patterns

Close examination reveals numerous distinct settlement regions, each with a different natural environment and historical background. North Korea now has nine provinces, but during the Chosŏn (Yi) dynasty (1392–1910) the unified country had eight. Of those, North Korea contains what were the three provinces of P’yŏngan, Hwanghae, and Hamgyŏng and the northern parts of Kangwŏn and Kyŏnggi provinces. Each province not only was a political unit but also had characteristics of a cultural region in terms of dialect, customs, and way of life. North Korea may also be divided into the two larger traditional regions: Kwansŏ to the west and Kwanbuk to the east, roughly divided by the Nangnim Mountains. Kwansŏ comprises the current provinces of North P’yŏngan, South P’yŏngan, North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, and Chagang, while Kwanbuk includes North Hamgyŏng, South Hamgyŏng, Yanggang, and Kangwŏn provinces.

Most of the rural population inhabits the eastern and western coastal lowlands and river-valley plains. The inland areas of Chagang and Yanggang provinces are sparsely settled because of the lack of arable land and the cold climate, which does not permit the cultivation of rice. Villages in the lowlands and valley plains usually are clustered together at the bases of the southern slopes of hills, which offer protection against the cold northwesterly winter wind. Scattered fields are tilled by a small number of shifting cultivators in the Kaema Highlands, especially in Yanggang province. The upper Yalu and Tumen river valleys contain settlements associated with lumbering, and fishing villages are numerous along the coasts, especially on the east side of the peninsula.

Cities that developed during the Japanese occupation (1910–45) were largely associated with the exploitation of natural resources, industry, and transportation. The communist regime’s heavy emphasis on manufacturing resulted in the continuous expansion of the early industrial centres and caused a population flow into the urban areas from the countryside. Most of the cities were destroyed during the Korean War (1950–53) and have since been rebuilt. Urbanization increased rapidly after the war, especially in the period 1953–60. P’yŏngyang is by far North Korea’s largest city, its population greatly outnumbering Namp’o, the second largest city. Other major cities include Hamhŭng, Ch’ŏngjin, and Kaesŏng.

  • Demographic trends

North Korea’s population grew fairly rapidly after the Korean War, more than doubling in size between 1953 and 1993. Although the rate of population increase began slowing in the late 20th century, it is nearly twice that of South Korea. North Korea, however, can be considered underpopulated by East Asian standards, with an overall density of only about two-fifths that in the South. The infant mortality rate is considerably higher than in the South.

The population of North Korea is unevenly distributed, with heavy concentrations along the coastlines and only sparse settlement in the interior. This imbalance has been exacerbated by the government’s emphasis on industrialization since 1945, which has promoted migration to the cities and, conversely, has produced a severe farm labour shortage. Large numbers of Koreans emigrated from the peninsula during the first half of the 20th century, mainly to China, Siberia, Japan, and the United States. In the 1960s and ’70s North Korea conducted a campaign to repatriate Koreans living in Japan; more than 90,000 people took part in the program. North Korea’s recurrent food crises—compounded by the government’s reported practice of political persecution, including the denial of food to certain groups of people for political reasons—have caused many people to escape to China. Estimates of the number of North Korean refugees in China in the early 21st century ranged from 10,000 to 300,000. .

Economy of Korea, North

North Korea has a command (centralized) economy. The state controls all means of production, and the government sets priorities and emphases in economic development. Since 1954, economic policy has been promulgated through a series of national economic plans. The early plans gave high priority to postwar reconstruction and the development of heavy industries, especially chemicals and metals. Subsequent plans focused on resource exploitation and improving technology, mechanization, and infrastructure. Little attention was given to agriculture until the 1970s, and it was not until the late 1980s that much effort was made to improve the quality and quantity of consumer goods.

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.

By the early 1990s, North Korea had begun to experience severe economic hardships. The Soviet Union had collapsed, and the communist regimes of its eastern European allies had fallen, depriving North Korea of most of its trading partners and much of its former aid. China reduced but did not completely cut off its provision of materials to North Korea, but in 1992 it began to demand cash payments in place of grants-in-aid or credit accounts. In addition, in the mid-1990s the country suffered a series of natural disasters, including floods and drought. Serious grain and food shortages resulted, and starvation and malnutrition were widespread throughout the country.

The situation improved somewhat by the end of the decade because of a massive infusion of international food assistance. In July 2002 the government proclaimed a new policy intended to deal with the huge gap that had developed between the official economy and the so-called “real people’s economy” (i.e., a black market), which was in the throes of runaway inflation. But the measures served only as a temporary stopgap; well into the first decade of the 21st century, the highest priority of the government remained the solution of what it called “the food problem.”

In addition to North Korea’s acceptance of foreign aid during the 1990s, its poor economic performance during the decade forced the government to begin opening up the economy to limited foreign investment and increased trade. By the end of that decade, North Korea was actively inviting foreign investment from European Union (EU) countries, South Korea, and others. It was more receptive to discussions with EU and Commonwealth countries than it was to the United States, Japan, and South Korea—the latter three countries having been much more at odds diplomatically and strategically with North Korea since the Korean War (in the case of Japan, since the colonial period) than the others. However, since those three countries have been the main sources of foreign aid in the early 21st century, North Korea has maintained at least minimal contact with each of them.

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. North Korea even allowed parts of its territory to be used by foreign (South Korean) businesses, including the sightseeing areas around Mount Kŭmgang, in the southeast, and the Kaesŏng Industrial Complex, in the southwest. However, the operation of these enclosed and restricted areas, known as special economic districts (gyŏngje t’ŭkgu), was conducted strictly under North Korean supervision and was only for the purpose of collecting foreign currencies (mainly U.S. dollars), not as part of the country’s overall economic activity.

  • Agriculture, forestry, and fishing

By 1958 all privately owned farms were incorporated into more than 3,000 cooperatives; each cooperative comprises about 300 families on about 1,200 acres (500 hectares). The farm units are controlled by management committees, which issue orders to the work teams, set the type and amount of seed and fertilizer to be used, and establish production quotas. Produce is delivered to the government, which controls distribution through state stores. There are also state and provincial model farms for research and development.

Agriculture contributes a decreasing proportion to the national economy, but there has been an overall increase in cultivated land, irrigation projects, the use of chemical fertilizers, and mechanization. Nonetheless, since the early 1990s, North Korea has had a chronic shortage of chemical fertilizers, seed grains, and farming equipment. Farmers are paid for their labour in money or in kind and are allowed to keep chickens, bees, fruit trees, and gardens. In theory, farmers can sell surplus produce at local markets that are held periodically, but with the food crisis that began in the mid-1990s, any surplus above the subsistence level disappeared. Although farmers fared relatively better than most urban workers during the lean years, even they struggled for survival.

The main food crops are grains—notably rice, corn (maize), wheat, and barley. The country formerly produced enough rice for domestic consumption, but some is now imported. Wheat had to be imported even before the period of food shortages, although wheat productivity increased after the mid-1950s. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, soybeans and other beans, vegetables, and tree fruits are raised extensively. Industrial crops include tobacco, cotton, flax, and rape (an herb grown for its oilseeds). Livestock raising is concentrated in areas poorly suited for crop raising. Livestock production has increased steadily, especially poultry production, over the country’s history. However, all sectors of agricultural production were drastically affected during the food crisis.

The northern interior contains large forest reserves of larch, spruce, and pine trees. Most of the coastal slopes have been extensively deforested, however, much of this having been done by the Japanese during World War II; reforestation programs have stressed economic forestry. Forestry production, after having declined following the war, has not grown substantially. Much of the wood cut is used as firewood. During the severe fuel shortage that accompanied the years of economic crisis, North Koreans indiscriminately—and often illegally—cut down trees for firewood. Many hillsides in the country are now barren; the loss of forest cover contributes to massive flooding in the monsoon season, which in turn leads to poor harvests and further economic hardships.

The sea is the main source of protein for North Koreans, and the government has continually expanded commercial fishing. Most fishing activity centres on the coastal areas on each side of the peninsula, although there was an increase in deep-sea fishing beginning in the late 20th century. The main species caught include pollack, sardines, mackerel, herring, pike, yellowtail, and shellfish. Aquaculture represents about one-fourth of the country’s fish production.

Resources and power North Korea contains the great bulk of all known mineral deposits on the peninsula. It is estimated that some 200 minerals are of economic value. Most important are iron ore and coal, although greater emphasis has been given to the extraction of gold, magnesite (magnesium carbonate), lead, and zinc. Other abundant minerals include tungsten, graphite, barite (barium sulfate), and molybdenum.

Large, high-grade iron ore reserves are mined in North and South Hwanghae, South P’yŏngan, and South Hamgyŏng provinces, while deposits at Musan, North Hamgyŏng province, are of lower quality. Rich deposits of anthracite (hard coal) occur along the Taedong River—notably at Anju, north of P’yŏngyang—and near Paegam in Yanggang province. There also are lesser amounts of lignite (brown coal) in the far northeast and at Anju. North Korea’s magnesite deposits, the largest in the world, are centred on Tanch’ŏn, in South Hamgyŏng province.

Industrial development is related to the country’s large supply of electric power. During the Japanese regime hydroelectric power resources were heavily developed along the Yalu River and its upper tributaries. Power production is still based mainly on hydroelectricity, but thermal electricity is becoming important because of lower construction costs and the unreliability of hydroelectric power during the dry season. However, since the 1990s the production of electricity has declined to a critical level because of the general failure of the national economy.

  • Manufacturing

The industrial sector is organized into state-owned enterprises and production cooperatives, the latter being confined largely to handicrafts, marine processing, and other small-scale operations. The most important industries are iron and steel, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. Iron and steel production initially was centred at Songnim and Ch’ŏngjin but has been expanded to include the large integrated mill at Kimch’aek. Industrial and agricultural machinery is manufactured at Kangsŏn, near P’yŏngyang, and several other cities, including Hŭich’ŏn. The production of chemicals is focused on fertilizers and petrochemicals, much of the latter being manufactured in the Anju area north of P’yŏngyang. The textile industry is centred at P’yŏngyang, Sinŭiju, and Sunch’ŏn. Other products include cement, armaments, vehicles, glass, ceramics, and some consumer goods (mainly clothing and processed food).

  • Finance and other services

The North Korean won is the official currency, and the Central Bank of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the sole bank of issue. It receives all national revenues and precious metals and provides government agencies with working capital. There are several other state banks, all supervised by the Central Bank. Among these is the Foreign Trade Bank, which handles all foreign transactions and, when applicable, foreign currencies. A limited amount of joint-venture banking was allowed beginning in the late 1980s, and later private and corporate savings accounts for nonresidents were also permitted. In an attempt to regain control over currency and markets, the government in late 2009 revalued the won to 1 percent of its existing value (thus eliminating virtually all savings individuals had accumulated), shut down markets, and banned the use of foreign currencies. These measures caused an economic crisis and prompted otherwise rare public protests by citizens.

The government maintains strict control over tourism. Most visitors come from Asia, particularly from China, with which North Korea maintains close relations. Tourists, especially those from the West, are tightly restricted in their movements and are accompanied by official North Korean guides. The sector developed in a new direction beginning in 1998 by accepting organized admission-paying tourist groups originating from South Korea (comprising various nationalities, including Western tourists) to the Mount Kŭmgang area and the Kaesŏng Industrial Complex, two of the country’s special economic districts. However, both ventures were subject to the vagaries of relations between the two countries.

  • Trade

Foreign trade has expanded and diversified slowly. At first trade was conducted only with the Soviet Union and China, but since the 1960s it has been allowed with a growing number of countries. Major trading partners include China, South Korea, Russia, Japan, and Thailand. Trade with South Korea is promoted mainly by private corporations. A free-trade zone, another of North Korea’s special economic districts, was established in the late 1990s in Rajin-Sŏnbong (now Rasŏn), in the northern province of North Hamgyŏng. Imports mainly consist of beverages, food and other agricultural products, mineral fuels, machinery, and textiles. Exports include live animals and agricultural products, textiles and apparel, machinery, and mineral fuels and lubricants.

  • Transportation

In general, the transport system in North Korea is stagnant, since the infrastructure is worn out and the energy supply is limited. Few new highways or rail lines have been built since the late 20th century. With the economic decline in the 1990s, demand on the transportation networks shrank. It subsequently increased during this period, as many people were forced to leave their homes in search of food and income—putting pressure on an inadequate and outdated transportation infrastructure. Although free movement across counties and provinces is not allowed in North Korea (special travel permits are needed for that purpose), many North Koreans move around the country illegally.

Railways are the principal means of transportation. The basic railway pattern runs in a north-south direction, roughly parallel to the coasts, with branchlines to the river valleys. Because of the high mountains, there is only one east-west railway line, between P’yŏngyang and Wŏnsan. The west-coast line runs from Kaesŏng near the South Korean border to Sinŭiju on the Chinese border, connecting the major cities. From this main line a branch from P’yŏngyang southwestward to Namp’o connects centres of machine building and foundries. Another line runs northward from P’yŏngyang to Manp’o on the Yalu River, connecting the western interior to China’s northeastern provinces. The major railway on the east coast runs from Wŏnsan northward to Rasŏn and continues to Namyang on the Chinese border. A railway line built in the early 21st century allowed the transportation of cargo between Rasŏn and the Russian border station of Khasan. Several branchlines serve the inland areas and mining centres.

Highway transportation is not as important as railroads, because few motor vehicles are available. Major roads parallel the rail lines. Express highways connect P’yŏngyang with Wŏnsan, Namp’o, and Kaesŏng. Most roads, however, are not paved.

River transportation plays an important role in moving agricultural products, minerals, and passengers. The most important rivers utilized for freight transportation are the Yalu, Taedong, and Chaeryŏng. The major ports on the west coast are Namp’o—the entry port to P’yŏngyang—Haeju, and Tasa; the major eastern ports are Wŏnsan, Hŭngnam, Ch’ŏngjin, and Rajin.

Air services are controlled by the air force. Flights are maintained between the major cities, and international services connect P’yŏngyang with Beijing and Moscow. Sunan International Airport is located northwest of P’yŏngyang; the larger domestic airports are located at Hamhŭng, Ch’ŏngjin, and Wŏnsan.

Government and Society of Korea, North

  • Constitutional framework

The first constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was promulgated in 1948 and was replaced with a new constitution in 1972. Revisions were made in 1992, 1998, and 2009. The 1998 amendments, made in the years following the death of Kim Il-sung—the country’s leader from 1948 until his death in 1994—were so extensive that a preamble was added to underline the continuity with the previous regime. The preamble concludes, “The DPRK Socialist Constitution is a Kim Il-sung constitution which legally embodies Comrade Kim Il-sung’s Juche state construction ideology and achievements.” The 1998 revision also enshrined Kim as “eternal president.” According to the 2009 constitutional revision, the country’s highest administrative authority is the supreme leader and chairman of the National Defense Commission—the position held by Kim Jong Il, Kim Il-sung’s son, until his death in 2011. The head of government is the premier, assisted by several vice-premiers and a cabinet, the members of which are appointed by the national legislature, the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA). The president of the SPA is North Korea’s titular head of state. In practice, however, the government was under Kim Jong Il’s one-man leadership during his lifetime. He was also supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army and general secretary of the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP). After Kim’s death his son Kim Jong-Eun was declared “supreme leader” and made commander of the military.

The SPA, constitutionally the highest organ of state power and the primary legislative body, consists of a single chamber with 687 members elected to five-year terms by universal adult suffrage; it also has a 15-member SPA Presidium, or Standing Committee, with members chosen from within the SPA, that meets when the assembly is not in session. The SPA’s regular sessions last for about a week and are convened once or twice a year by the SPA Presidium. The Presidium handles most of the day-to-day legislative business and hence holds much power. The constitution stipulates that the SPA Presidium is the highest organ of power during the intervals between sessions of the SPA, although the Presidium remains accountable to the SPA.

The National Defense Commission (NDC) is the organ to which the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces and the State Security Department directly report. Under the constitution, the NDC is accountable only to the SPA.

Political power, as distinct from legislative power, is held by the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP), whose highest authority is the Party Congress, led by an elected Central Committee. The KWP draws up lists of approved candidates for elections. Policy is directed by the KWP’s political bureau (Politburo).

There are a number of nominal political parties and social organizations that serve to support the KWP. All political activities, however, are directed by the KWP or require its sanction and must closely follow the party line and policies. Elections provide a means whereby assent is registered for the policies and programs of the party. There is seldom more than one candidate on the ballot for each constituency, and the electoral system is completely controlled by the party.

  • Local government

North Korea is divided administratively into nine provinces (to), the special province-level municipality (jikhalsi) of P’yŏngyang, the special city (thŭkpyŏlsi) of Rasŏn, and two special administrative regions (chigu)—the Mount Kŭmgang tourist region and the Kaesŏng industrial region. The provinces are further subdivided into ordinary cities (si), counties (gun, or kun), and villages (ri), the smallest administrative unit. There are both provincial and city (or county) people’s committees and people’s assemblies. The people’s committees discharge administrative functions, and the people’s assemblies perform legislative functions. The provincial people’s assemblies approve the appointment of members of provincial people’s committees; the city (or county) people’s assemblies perform similar functions for local people’s committees. The people’s committees operate under the control of the cabinet (central government). The KWP also maintains central, provincial, and city (or county) party committees to “guide” other branches of government.

Provincial governments, presumably upon approval of the central government, can also designate “special cities” (t’ŭkgŭpsi) locally, as in the case of Namp’o. This port city, located about 30 miles (50 km) southwest of P’yŏngyang, is where North Korea receives foreign aid materials that arrive by sea.

  • Justice

The judicial system consists of the courts and the public prosecutor’s offices. Judicial authority rests with the Central Court, whose judges are elected for three-year terms by the Supreme People’s Assembly, and with a number of lesser provincial and people’s courts, whose members are elected by local people’s assemblies. Judges usually are party members or are controlled by the party. The Central Procurator’s Office and the provincial and city public prosecutor’s offices handle criminal cases and maintain surveillance over all citizens; it is headed by a procurator-general, who is selected by the Supreme People’s Assembly. The courts and prosecutor’s offices are independent of each other.

  • Security

The country strongly emphasizes military preparedness, and economic plans have been tailored to support high military expenditures. With the start of the Kim Jong Il regime in 1998 a policy of “military first politics” (sŏngun chŏngch’i) was put in place; it enshrined a strong military as the guardian of North Korea’s accomplishments and the key component of its economic and political power, thus prioritizing it above other concerns of state. North Korea maintains one of the world’s largest military organizations. The army is by far the largest force; there are also an air force and a navy. All men and a limited number of women are subject to conscription. The duration of service officially is three to four years but typically lasts longer depending on the branch of service. There also are large reserve and paramilitary forces.

The country’s internal security system is large and extensive. People’s movements and social activities are monitored and controlled even down to the household level. The Ministry of Public Security functions as a national constabulary, while political control and counterintelligence are the responsibility of the State Security Department. Both the State Security Department and the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces (the military) are under the direct control of the National Defense Commission.

  • Health and welfare

Medical care is free, and there is at least one clinic in each village, but there is a shortage of physicians, medical equipment, and medicine. Medical benefits are provided by social insurance for workers who are temporarily or permanently disabled and women during pregnancy and childbirth. There are also funeral benefits and old-age pensions. Homes for the aged in each province operate under the Ministry of Labour.

The overall standard of living and the lot of the peasants have improved since World War II. North Korea was established as a classless society, but a new, privileged elite of high-ranking military and KWP officials has emerged. Because of the high priority given to industrialization and defense, the provision of consumer goods and social services has long been inadequate. During the period of severe economic hardship in the 1990s, shortages of food and daily necessities and the collapse of the national grain-rationing system forced many North Koreans to desert their homes and families in search of food. Hospitals and health care centres ran out of medicine and medical supplies, and the social welfare system went through a period of failure despite sustained relief assistance extended by various national and international relief agencies.

  • Housing

Reconstruction of houses after the Korean War was given high priority, and dwellings have improved considerably. Rural mud-walled, thatched-roofed huts have been replaced by brick buildings with tile or slate roofs. Urban housing is classified into five groups that range from one room with a half-sized kitchen to free-standing houses with gardens. Workers, or “wage earners,” are expected to live in apartments rather than houses, and housing projects are supported almost solely by the government. Heating systems in the apartments and urban water supplies are inadequate. Numerous high-rise buildings have been constructed in the larger cities, especially in P’yŏngyang. City streets are notably empty of motor vehicles and pedestrians, as the North Koreans have few leisure hours.

  • Education

A total of 12 years of primary and secondary education are free and compulsory. The system comprises one year of preschool, five years of primary school, and six years of secondary school. Education serves as a process of inculcating communist ideology and a means to supply skilled workers, technicians, and scientists to meet the government’s economic goals. All students are required to engage in productive labour along with their studies, which emphasize science and technology. Institutions of higher education offer programs of two to six years in length; the most important institution of higher education is Kim Il-sung University in P’yŏngyang. There is also a well-developed system of adult education, the major components of which are technical schools located in large industrial centres.

Culture life of Korea, North

The compound religious strains of shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism have deep roots in Korean culture. Although the country has received continuous streams of foreign cultural influence mainly from China, Koreans have kept their identity and maintained and developed their unique language and customs. Westernization, begun in the late 19th century, was accomplished in harmony with Korean tradition and slowly transformed the culture without much conflict until the 1940s—notwithstanding Japanese attempts to obliterate Korean culture during its occupation of the peninsula.

After World War II the occupying Soviets did not recognize the Korean traditional family system or Confucian philosophy; age-old lineage records were burned, and the kinship system was broken. Through education, people were molded to fit the pattern of party idealism, and private life and individual freedom became extremely limited. Development plans since the Korean War have demanded much from the North Koreans in terms of patience and labour. As a result, the people have had to lead an austere existence. The standard of living improved over time, but leisure and cultural activities have continued to be regimented and geared toward organized group activities, such as rallies and museum tours.

  • The arts

The government is heavily involved with maintaining and advancing the traditional fine arts and other cultural features as an expression of nationalism. Statues of Kim Il-sung and public art commemorating the revolution are ubiquitous. The selection of cultural items is based on communist ideology, and writers and artists attempt to enhance class consciousness and propagate the superiority and independence of Korean culture. All North Korean writers, artists, dancers, and musicians are assigned to government institutions such as the National Theatre for the Arts and the State Symphony Orchestra in P’yŏngyang and provincial organizations of music, ballet, and drama. The P’yŏngyang University of Music and Dance provides arts education. Museums have been well supported by the government, and many archaeological sites have been excavated to promote the growth of a strong nationalistic feeling. Among the country’s most notable museums are the Korean Revolution Museum and the Korean Fine Arts Museum in the capital. Archaeological sites include those located in the Nangnang district of P’yŏngyang and at Kungsan, near Yonggang.

  • Press and broadcasting

Of the daily newspapers, the Rodong (or Nodong) sinmun (“Labour News”), published by the KWP Central Committee, and the government’s Minju Chosŏn (“Democratic Korea”) have the largest circulations. The monthly Kŭlloja (“Workers”) of the KWP Central Committee is one of the most influential periodicals. The Korean Central News Agency controls the dissemination of information, and all papers are strictly censored. The government long has recognized the importance of radio and television as mass media, and they have played a great role in ideological education. Radio broadcasts reach all parts of the country. Almost all North Korean households have access to radio broadcasts as a result of a government project to link household loudspeakers to village receivers. Television broadcasting in North Korea also has been made available to all parts of the country, and the number of television sets, both imported and domestically produced, has increased.

History of Korea, North

The ancient history of the Korean peninsula can be traced to the Neolithic Age, when Turkic-Manchurian-Mongol peoples migrated into the region from China. The first agriculturally based settlements appeared around 6000 B.C. Some of the larger communities of this era were established along the Han-gang River near modern-day Seoul, others near Pyongyang and Pusan. According to ancient lore, Korea's earliest civilization, known as Choson, was founded in 2333 B.C. by Tan-gun.

In the 17th century, Korea became a vassal state of China and was cut off from outside contact until the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895. Following Japan's victory, Korea was granted independence. By 1910, Korea had been annexed by Japan, which developed the country but never won over the Korean nationalists, who continued to agitate for independence.

Korea, North in 2011

Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Area: 122,762 sq km (47,399 sq mi) Population (2011 est.): 24,336,000 Capital: Pyongyang Head of state and government: Supreme Leader/Chairman of the National ...>>>Read On<<<

Disclaimer

This is not the official site of this country. Most of the information in this site were taken from the U.S. Department of State, The Central Intelligence Agency, The United Nations, [1],[2], [3], [4], [5],[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14],[15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24],[25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30],[31], [32], [33], [34], and the [35].

Other sources of information will be mentioned as they are posted.