- Pixabay
VIVA – Life in North Korea is too different from South Korea. North Korea is known as a closed country that does not want to have contact with foreigners. This country also does not allow information about its country to be heard by other countries and vice versa.
North Korea is a country located in East Asia with the capital city of Pyongyang. This country has various strange facts and rarely people know. Well, here’s a list of facts about North Korea.
1. North Korea was Founded in 1948
It was founded on October 3, 1948. The country's official name is the DPRK or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. If you know a lot about their culture and way of life, their local name is Choson or “Choson-minjujuui-inmin-koughwaguk”.
2. The Trust of North Korea is the Only One Country
North Koreans believe that their country is one country. The country removed South Korea from the picture maps.
All the maps at the school show only Pyongyang as the capital. Although the two countries are heading towards unification, it is not without reason that the two countries are in such a status at this time.
3. Hunger Becomes Biggest Health Threat
Patung Kim Jong Il di Korea Utara
- Al Jazeera
North Korea is 80% covered with plateaus and mountains. So, when heavy rains or droughts hit, food scarcity is also widespread. This is because of the limited amount of their agricultural land affected.
In the 1990s, 2.5 million people died of starvation. This is a ratio of one in ten North Koreans. According to a recent report, at least two-thirds of the population doesn't have the slightest idea of ??where they can get their next meal.
4. North Korea Has Strict Border Controls
The DMZ or Demilitarized Zone, which is 148 miles long, is the most heavily fortified and militarized area in the world. The DMZ is a buffer zone between North and South Korea with a meeting point, the Joint Security Area (JSA), where negotiations take place at the western end of the DMZ.
5. Rice is the Staple Crop in North Korea
Just like South Koreans, kimchi and rice are also widely eaten in North Korea. Traditional food, also includes noodles, bulgogi, and juk. They are also known for alcohol or a traditional spirit called soju. This country is also famous for cold noodles called "naengmyeon".
6. North Korea Doesn’t Require Its Citizens to Pay Tax
Pagelaran tari massal di Kim Il Sung Square di Pyongyang, Korea Utara
- AP Photo/David Guttenfelder
North Korea is just one of the few places where its residents don't have to pay anything for taxes. In 1974, taxation was completely abolished.
However, individuals and organizations that make money outside of North Korea are still required to pay. There is talk that this might change soon as the government is already planning to reintroduce the concept of income tax to its people.
7. North Korea and South Korea Used to be One Country
The countries were divided after the end of the Second World War. The Soviets controlled the North, while the United States controlled the South. The Soviets ruled under a communist system, while the US was against it. This means that the two sides are divided.
On September 9, 1947, the country was officially divided into South Korea and North Korea. Their rivalry led to the outbreak of war in 1950 in which North Korea invaded the South. It lasted for three years and then the DMZ was founded. Technically, the two countries are still at war as no peace treaty has been officially signed.
8. The Leaders of North Korea Come from the Same Family
Angkatan Darat Tentara Rakyat Korea Utara (KPA)
- The Sun
North Korea has been under the leadership and rule of the same family since 1948. Their first supreme leader was Kim Il-Sung. He was in charge until he died in 1994. After his death, power passed to Kim Jong-Il.
He was the son of the late supreme leader, and he was in control for 17 years. You can find the 20-meter-long statues of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il at the Grand Monument on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang.
9. There is a Propaganda Village in North Korea
Near the border with South Korea, Kijong-dong Village was built. It was North Korea's way of showing off to its southern neighbor. The village was built in the 1950s and had electricity which was a luxury back then.
The village has large buildings that light up every night on a schedule. The streets nearby have the same soldiers and women who lived in the community for 15 years.
When technology developed rapidly, and people from the south had the means to see the village up close, they were surprised to learn the truth. The houses in the village were just boxes with no inner walls, ceilings, and even floors.
10. Not a Communist Country
Contrary to popular belief, North Korea does not have a communist system. Although believed to adhere to the understanding of Marxism-Leninism. The ideology of communism was abolished in the 1950s, and since then, North Korea has been practicing the Juche idea, a continuation of the teachings of Marx and Lenin.
The connotations of Juche's ideas are autonomy, independence, and independence. This is the adoption of socialist independence. Over time, the mention of communism began to be removed from the North Korean constitution, and in 2009, it disappeared altogether.
11. Seafood Exports are Huge in North Korea
Diplomat Rusia pulang kampung dari Korea Utara dorong troli di rel kereta 32 Jam
- Facebook Kemlu Rusia.
China is North Korea's main trading partner. At least 60% of North Korean goods go to its neighbors, and its main products are seafood and fish.
In addition, North Korea is one of the top countries in the world to export fishery products. Besides seafood, North Korea also exports monuments.
12. The Only Country Ruled by the Dead Person
North Korea has a very unique form of government. Necrocracy is a government that still follows the rules of the former and the leader is dead.
Kim Il-sung was declared the Eternal Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). This simply means that all the rulers of the country in power will only bear the title of Supreme Leader, but the Eternal leader will always and forever be Kim Il-Sung.
The supreme leader will be the chairman of the Labor Party and Commander-in-Chief of the Army. However, he will not hold the status of President.
13. Flag of North Korea
Bendera Korea Utara.
- U-Report
The flag consists of two blue horizontal stripes separated by a wide red stripe by a thin white stripe. Towards the center is a white disc with a red star. The red stars and stripes symbolize the communist commitment of the country, while the blue is the commitment to peace. The white area symbolizes dignity, strength, and purity.
14. Drugs are Common and Unregulated in North Korea
In North Korea, drug use is still quite common. Cannabis is grown everywhere, and smugglers smuggle it into neighboring countries like China for foreign profit. According to reports, at least 30% of North Koreans use substance abuse.
International reports also reveal that methamphetamine and methamphetamine are common in this country. While this is not commonly permitted, it is still very broad. Most workers use drugs to hold back their hunger. This allows them to work long hours in factories and farms.
15. North Korea also Holds Political Elections
It turns out, North Korea holds a political election every five years. But what is unique about their poll is that the ballots they get only have one candidate's name.
It's not a matter of choosing who they want, but it's a choice if they support or oppose a single candidate. There will be two boxes and one for positive votes, the other for those against.
16. Prison Camps are Rampant in North Korea
VIVA Militer: Kendaraan Misil Balistik Korea Utara
- Task and Purpose
As the country runs with a total dictatorship of its leaders, many citizens are sent to prison for treason and many other petty crimes.
Some 150,000 to 200,000 residents live in prison camps surrounded by electric fences. The driest conditions in the camps were those imprisoned for political crimes. Offenders can have extended family imprisoned on their behalf or with them.
Prisoners were forced to work as miners, loggers, and farmers in very harsh conditions. They also have limited access to tools that make the job even more difficult.
17. Children in North Korea Provide Their School Equipment
Students in North Korean schools must provide their chairs and desks. They even had to pay for their heating. Students even plow the fields for the government. Therefore, some parents want to keep their children at home. They also need to bribe the teachers for it.
18. Only 28 Haircuts that Approved in North Korea
North Korea only allows 28 haircuts for its citizens. Married women are given more choices than unmarried women. Unmarried women are only allowed to have short hair.
For men, the older one can have at least two hair lengths while the younger one should be less than 1 inch.
