North Korea, known officially as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Chosongul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia, covering the northern half of the peninsula of Korea. To the south it borders South Korea with which it formed a single nation until 1948. Its northern border is predominantly with the People's Republic of China, and a small section with Russia. Locally and in mainland China, it is more commonly called Pukchosŏn ("North Chosŏn"; 북조선; 北朝鮮), a name that associates the country with the Joseon_Dynasty. Bukhan ("North Han"; 북한; 北韓) is commonly used in South Korea. The Korean language is the most widely used language in Korea, and is the official language of both North and South Korea. ... Hangul is the native alphabet used to write the Korean language (as opposed to the Hanja system borrowed from China). ... Hanja (lit. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... Korea is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in northern East Asia, bordering on China to the west and Russia to the north. ... South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean: Daehan Minguk (Hangul: 대한 민국; Hanja: 大韓民國)), is a country in East Asia, covering the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. ... The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) comprises most of the cultural, historic, and geographic area known as China. ... Hangul is the native alphabet used to write the Korean language (as opposed to the Hanja system borrowed from China). ... Hanja (lit. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Hangul is the native alphabet used to write the Korean language (as opposed to the Hanja system borrowed from China). ... Hanja (lit. ...

(In Detail)
National motto (translation): One is sure to win if one believes in and depends upon the people
Official language	Korean
Capital and largest city	P'yŏngyang
Chairman, NDC	Kim Jong-il1
President, Presidium of the SPA	Kim Yong-nam2
Premier	Pak Pong-ju
Area   - Total   - % water	Ranked 97th 120,540 km² 0.1%
Population   - Total (2002)   - Density	Ranked 48th 22,224,195 3 182.25/km²
Independence   - Date	From Japan August 15, 1945
Currency	North Korean won
GDP	$29,580,000,000 (est. 2004 ranked 94th)
Foreign debt	$12,000,000,000 (1996 est. ranked 63rd)
Time zone	UTC +9
National anthem	Achimŭn pinnara
Internet TLD	None (.kp is reserved)
Calling Code	850
(1) Kim Jong-il is the most powerful figure in the DPRK; the Chairman of the National Defence Commission is accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority"
(2) Kim Yong-nam is the "head of state for foreign affairs"; Kim Il-sung (who is deceased) is "Eternal President of the Republic"
(3) Some aid and development agencies estimate the population at 18 to 20 million.
edit  (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:North_Korea_infobox&action=edit)

History

Japanese rule of Korea ended after 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 over all of Korea. Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (СССР)  listen?; tr. ...

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 and attacked in force. The war continued until July 27, 1953, when William Harrison Jr., United Nations Command, and Nam Il, Delegation of Korean People's Army and the Chinese People's Volunteers, signed the Korean War Armistice Agreement. The demilitarized zone, or DMZ, was established to separate the two countries. The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... Events January January 5 - US Senator Estes Kefauver introduces a resolution calling for examination of organized crime in the USA January 6 - The United Kingdom recognizes the Peoples Republic of China. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Map of the Korean DMZ. The DMZ is given in red, the demarcation line runs in the middle of the DMZ (black line). ...

North Korea was ruled from 1948 by Kim Il-sung until his death on July 8, 1994. After the death of Kim Il Sung, 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 recently increased when North Korea resumed its nuclear weapons program. Kim Il-sung (April 15, 1912–July 8, 1994) was a Korean Communist politician and the ruler of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) from 1948 until his death. ... July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Kim Jong-il (born February 16, 1942) has been the leader of North Korea since 1994. ... the term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions, parties or associations. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). ... The Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea is the supreme commander of the North Korean military, and is the most powerful person in the country. ... North Korea has been attempting to obtain nuclear weapons since the late 1970s. ...

During Kim Jong Il's rule during the mid to late 1990s, the country's economy declined significantly, and food shortages developed in many areas. According to aid groups, a significant but unknown number of people in rural areas starved to death due to famine, exacerbated by a collapse in the food distribution system. Large numbers of North Koreans illegally entered the People's Republic of China in search of food, and there were also stories of cannibalism. Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM...

North Korea has remained one of the most isolated places in the world, with severe restrictions on travelling in or out of the country. There is no free press, and the Juche ideology of self-reliance is paramount. Juche (pronounced Joo-cheh), also Kimilsungism, is the official government-sponsored ideology of North Korea. ... Self-Reliance is an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson. ...

North Korea declared on February 10, 2005 that it has nuclear weapons. Although there is no evidence that North Korea has actually tested a weapon, this announcement brought forth widespread expressions of dismay and near-universal calls for the North to return to the six-party negotiations aimed at curbing its nuclear program. February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... North Korea has been attempting to obtain nuclear weapons since the late 1970s. ...

See also: Division of Korea The Korean peninsula, first divided along the 38th parallel, later along the demarcation line On August 10, 1945 there was a meeting of commissions of the ministry of the exterior, the ministry of war and the ministry of marines. ...

Politics

North Korea's government is dominated by the communist Korean Workers' Party (KWP), to which all government officials belong. Minor political parties exist, but not in opposition to KWP-rule. In practice the exact power structure of the country is somewhat unclear, although it is commonly accepted that the nation's regime is a totalitarian dictatorship. This article is about one-party states ruled by Communist Parties. ... The Workers Party of Korea (WPK) is the ruling party of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea. ... The concept of Totalitarianism is a typology or ideal-type used by some political scientists to encapsulate the characteristics of a number of twentieth century regimes that mobilized entire populations in support of the state or an ideology. ... Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler were two of the 20th centurys most notorious dictators. ...

Nominally the Prime Minister is the head of government, but real power lies with Kim Jong Il (the son of the late Kim Il Sung), the head of the Workers' Party and the military. Kim holds a string of official titles, the most important being General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Chairman of the National Defence Commission and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. Within the country he is commonly known by the affectionate title of "Dear Leader", in contrast to Kim Il Sung, who is the "Great Leader". Kim Jong-il (born February 16, 1942) has been the leader of North Korea since 1994. ... Kim Il-sung (April 15, 1912–July 8, 1994) was a Korean Communist politician and the ruler of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) from 1948 until his death. ... the term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions, parties or associations. ...

North Korea's 1972 constitution was amended in late 1992 and again in 1998. 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 much 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. 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... Executive can mean: Executive (government), a branch of government; A functionary in a commercial or non-commercial organisation. ...

Officially, the parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly Choego Inmin Hoeui), is the highest organ of state power. Its 687 members are elected every five years by popular vote, although these elections are non-competitive and in practice ceremonial. Usually it holds only two annual meetings, each lasting a few days, but it mostly 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. Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... The Supreme Peoples Assembly is the parliament of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea). ... Rubber stamp, is a political metaphor referring to an institution that has little power and rarely disagrees with more powerful organs. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ...

However, it should be noted that North Korea is widely held to be a totalitarian country. One major aspect of totalitarian countries is the presence of a single party which mirrors the structure of the State, and the fact that the power lies not in the State or its institutions, but in the party and its institutions. Thus, in countries such as the DPRK, it is the Chairman of the Communist Party and not the Head of State who is the repository of power. The concept of Totalitarianism is a typology or ideal-type used by some political scientists to encapsulate the characteristics of a number of twentieth century regimes that mobilized entire populations in support of the state or an ideology. ...

Administrative divisions

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 (Do, singular and plural; 도; 道). (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). Download high resolution version (573x603, 24 KB)This is a map of North Korea showing major settlements. ... Download high resolution version (573x603, 24 KB)This is a map of North Korea showing major settlements. ... Dao (道) was an administrative division of ancient China, translated as circuit. ... McCune-Reischauer is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced McCune-Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000. ... The National Geographic Society was founded in the USA on January 27, 1888, by 33 men interested in organizing a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge. ...

For historical information, see Provinces of Korea and Special cities of Korea. (Note: This page is currently under construction. ... In North and South Korea, Special cities, Metropolitan Cities, and Directly Governed Cities are cities that have a status equivalent to that of Provinces (Do). ...

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)

Pyŏngyang (Pyeongyang) is the capital city of North Korea, located in the northwest of the country, near the Taedong River. ... Rasŏn (formerly Rajin-Sŏnbong) is a Directly Governed City in North Korea. ...

Special Regions

• Kaesŏng Industrial Region (Kaesŏng Kong-ŏp Chigu; 개성 공업 지구; 開城工業地區)
• Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region (Kŭmgangsan Kwangwang Chigu; 금강산 관광 지구; 金剛山觀光地區)
• Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region (Sinŭiju T'ŭkbyŏl Haengjeonggu; 신의주 특별 행정구; 新義州特別行政區)

Kaesŏng Industrial Regon (Kaesŏng Kongŏp Chigu) is a special administrative region of North Korea. ... Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region (Kŭmgangsan Kwangwang Chigu) is a special administrative region of North Korea. ... Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region is a special administrative region of North Korea, on the border with China. ...

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)

Chagang (Chagang-do) is a North Korea. ... North Hamgyŏng (Hamgyŏng-bukto) is a province of North Korea. ... South Hamgyŏng (Hamgyŏng-namdo) is a province of North Korea. ... North Hwanghae (Hwanghae-bukto) is a province of North Korea. ... South Hwanghae (Hwanghae-namdo) is a province of North Korea. ... Kangwon (Kangwon-do) is a province in North Korea, with its capital at Wŏnsan. ... North Pyŏngan (Pyŏngan-bukto) is a province of North Korea. ... South Pyŏngan (Pyŏngan-namdo) is a province of North Korea. ... Ryanggang (Ryanggang-do) is a province in North Korea. ...

Major Cities

• Sinuiju
• Kaesong
• Nampho
• Chongjin
• Wonsan
• Hamhung - Hamnam
• Haeju
• Kanggye
• Hyesan

Shinŭiju (Shinŭiju-shi) is the capital of North Pyŏngan Province, North Korea, on the border with China. ... Kaesŏng (Gaeseong) is a city in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty. ... Nampo is a city and seaport in South Pyŏngan Province, North Korea. ... Chŏngjin (Chŏngjin-shi) is the capital of North Korea. ... Wonsan (1993 pop. ... Hamhung: During Kroguyo, it was is an agricultural product and aquatic product distribution centre. ... Haeju is a city in North Korea located in Kangwon Province near Haeju Bay. ... Kanggye: Because the topography important, from Ri Dynastry(1392-1910), the oneself is the military strategic place, also is the Jagang Province administrative center. ... Hyesan is a city in the northern part of the northern Yanggang province of North Korea. ...

Geography

Korea forms a peninsula that extends 1,100 km from the Asian mainland. To the west it borders the West Sea (Yellow Sea) and the Korea Bay; to the east it borders the East Sea of Korea (Sea of Japan). The peninsula ends at the Korea Strait (Tsushima Strait) and the South Sea (East China Sea) to the south. It is of political importance, bordering South Korea, China, and Russia. The peninsula's northern part (including North Korea) has mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys in the north and east, and has coastal plains prominently in the west. The highest point in Korea is the Paektu-san at 2,744 m. Major rivers include the Tumen and the Yalu that form the northern border with Chinese Manchuria. Korea is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in northern East Asia, bordering on China to the west and Russia to the north. ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... The Yellow Sea (in North and South Korea, it is also called the West Sea (strangely not disputed like East Sea) is the northern part of the East China Sea, which in turn is a part of the Pacific Ocean. ... The Korea Bay is located at the north of the Yellow Sea, between Liaoning Province of China and North Pyŏngan Province of North Korea. ... The Sea of Japan, known as the East Sea in South Korea, the East Sea of Korea in North Korea, and the Japan Sea in China, is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bound by the Japanese islands of Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu and Sakhalin island to the... The Korea Strait is a sea passage between the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan (in Korea also known as the South Sea and the East Sea respectively). ... The Tsushima Strait (対馬海峡) is a strait between the Korean Peninsula and Kyushu, the furthest west of the four largest islands in Japan. ... The East China Sea (Chinese: Dōng Hǎi 東海/东海, literal meaning: East Sea) is a marginal sea and part of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by Mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. ... Baitou (Paektu) Mountain is a mountain on the border between China and North Korea. ... The Tumen (Tuman) River is a river in northeast Asia, on the border between China and North Korea in its upper reaches, and between North Korea and Russia in its lower stretches. ... The Yalu (Amnok) River is a river on the border between China and North Korea. ... Approximate extent Northeast China (Simplified Chinese: 东北; Traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: Dōngběi; literally east-north), historically known as Manchuria, is the name of a region (ca. ...

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. Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ... Pyŏngyang (Pyeongyang) is the capital city of North Korea, located in the northwest of the country, near the Taedong River. ... Kaesŏng (Gaeseong) is a city in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty. ... Shinŭiju (Shinŭiju-shi) is the capital of North Pyŏngan Province, North Korea, on the border with China. ... Wonsan (1993 pop. ... Hamhŭng (Hamhŭng-shi) is the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province, North Korea. ... Chŏngjin (Chŏngjin-shi) is the capital of North Korea. ...

Economy

Following the official ideology of Juche (self-reliance) and the central planning mandated by its brand of Marxist socialism, North Korea's economy has stagnated. The government's refusal to participate in global free markets and its refusal to publicize economic data limit the amount of reliable information available. Publicly-owned industry produces nearly all manufactured goods. The regime continues to focus on heavy military industry at the expense of agriculture. Juche (pronounced Joo-cheh), also Kimilsungism, is the official government-sponsored ideology of North Korea. ... Economics is the social science studying production and consumption through measurable variables. ... A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy...

The North Korean military's effect on the economy cannot be overestimated. The government spends 22.9% (2003) of the nation's GDP on military (Compared to 3.3% (FY03 est.) for the U.S. and 2.7% (FY03) spent by neighboring South Korea), and has recruited 1.2 million of the healthiest young men into the army. This focus on military spending is unheard of anywhere else in the world, and has severely depressed the North's economy for decades. This is seen as a necessary evil due to the North Korean perception of the threat of military action from the US and South Korea.

In addition, erratic policymaking, a series of natural disasters, and the collapse of the Soviet bloc have all caused the economy to stagnate. The agricultural outlook is terrible and food products are deliberately diverted away from citizens and into the military. The combined effects of a reclusive regime, serious fertilizer shortages, successive natural disasters, and structural constraints - such as little arable land and a short growing season - have reduced staple grain output to more than 1 million tons less than what the country needs to meet even minimum international requirements. Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... Fertilizers are chemicals given to plants with the intention of promoting growth; they are usually applied either via the soil or by foliar spraying. ... A natural disaster is a natural event with catastrophic consequences for living things in the vicinity. ... In geography, arable land (from Latin arare, to plough ) is a form of agricultural land use, meaning land that can be (and is) used for growing crops. ... Cereal crops are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible seeds (actually a fruit called a grain, technically a caryopsis). ...

North Korea previously received a flow of international food and fuel aid from the People's Republic of China and the United States in exchange for promises not to develop nuclear weapons. This aid has ceased since the North Korean regime revealed that it had been developing nuclear weapons in secret.

The steady flow of international food aid was critical in meeting the population's basic food needs; it has been widely believed that very little of this food aid was actually received by citizens, but was instead taken and given to the military in order to improve loyalty. Malnutrition rates are perhaps among the world's highest and estimates of mortality range in the hundreds of thousands or even millions as a direct result of malnutrition and famine-related diseases. A famine is an phenomenon in which a large percentage of the population of a region or country are undernourished and death by starvation becomes increasingly common. ...

Recently, in July 2002, North Korea started running an experiment 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 going up 38% to $1.02 billion in 2003, and trade with South Korea going up 12% to $724 million in 2003 since the start of the experiment. 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. 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. Critics argue that these market reforms are merely a cover by the North Korea government, while others argue that the reforms indicate a tacit North Korea admission of the successes of a market system. Kaesŏng Industrial Regon (Kaesŏng Kongŏp Chigu) is a special administrative region of North Korea. ... In North and South Korea, Special cities, Metropolitan Cities, and Directly Governed Cities are cities that have a status equivalent to that of Provinces (Do). ... Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region is a special administrative region of North Korea, on the border with China. ... In this map of China, the light-coloured areas represent Mainland China, while yellow coloured area refers to Taiwan. ... South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean: Daehan Minguk (Hangul: 대한 민국; Hanja: 大韓民國)), is a country in East Asia, covering the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. ... Pyŏngyang (Pyeongyang) is the capital city of North Korea, located in the northwest of the country, near the Taedong River. ... Kaesŏng (Gaeseong) is a city in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty. ... A market system is any systematic process of helping bidders and sellers interact and make deals. ...

Human rights

Reports by human rights organizations regularly accuse the government of failing to protect the human rights of North Koreans; [1] (http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-prk/index) North Korea receives particular criticism for its policy of preventing citizens from leaving the country freely.

North Korea is accused of employing concentration camps and to severely restrict most freedom such as freedom of speech. A concentration camp is a large detention center created for political opponents, aliens, specific ethnic or religious groups, civilians of a critical war-zone, or other groups of people, often during a war. ... Freedom of speech is the right to freely say what one pleases, as well as the related right to hear what others have stated. ...

Demographics

North Korea's population is one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous in the world, with only very small Chinese and Japanese communities. The Korean language is not a member of a wider linguistic family, though links to Japanese and Altaic languages are being considered. The Korean writing system, Hangul, was invented in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great to replace the system of Chinese characters, known in Korea as Hanja, which are no longer officially in use in the North. North Korea continues to use the McCune-Reischauer romanization of Korean, in contrast to the South's revised version. Han Chinese (Simplified: 汉; Traditional: 漢; Pinyin: hàn) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... The Korean language is the most widely used language in Korea, and is the official language of both North and South Korea. ... The Japanese language is a spoken and written language used mainly in Japan. ... Altaic is a putative language family which would include 60 languages spoken by about 250 million people, mostly in and around Central Asia. ... Hangul is the native alphabet used to write the Korean language (as opposed to the Hanja system borrowed from China). ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... King Sejong the Great (May 6, 1397 - May 18, 1450), born I Do, was the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1418 to 1450. ... The Chinese written language consists of a writing system stretching back nearly 4000 years. ... Hanja (lit. ... McCune-Reischauer is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced McCune-Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000. ... A romanization or latinization is a system for representing a word or language with the Roman (Latin) alphabet, where the original word or language used a different writing system. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ...

North Korea is officially atheist, although it has a Buddhist and Confucianist heritage, with Christian and traditional Chondogyo ("Heavenly Way") communities. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, was the center of Christian activity before the Korean War. Atheism is the state either of being without theistic beliefs, or of actively disbelieving in the existence of deities. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Confucianism (儒家 Pinyin: rújiā The School of the Scholars), sometimes translated as the School of Literati, is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of Confucius. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Culture

North Korea's government is perceived by western governments as "extremely reclusive", and as a result few foreigners want to enter the country. In principle any person is allowed to travel to North Korea, and in practice almost no-one is refused entry by North Korea; however visitors are not allowed to travel outside designated tour areas without their Korean guides. The daunting presence of government minders and the negative international reputation of the government discourages many outsiders from visiting. Accounts of travels throughout the region can be found in the external links section.

Panmunjeom, Border between South and North Korea

Citizens of South Korea require special government permission from both governments to enter North Korea. In recent years, 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), where South Korean citizens do not need special permissions. Tours run by private companies bring thousands of South Koreans to Mount Kŭmgang every year. Panmunjeom, frontier to north korea, under GNU FDL, self photographed, 2001 File links The following pages link to this file: Korean War North Korea Panmunjeom Korean Demilitarized Zone Categories: GFDL images ... Panmunjeom, frontier to north korea, under GNU FDL, self photographed, 2001 File links The following pages link to this file: Korean War North Korea Panmunjeom Korean Demilitarized Zone Categories: GFDL images ... Panmunjeom (Panmunjŏm) in Gyeonggi province is a village on the border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War was signed. ... South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean: Daehan Minguk (Hangul: 대한 민국; Hanja: 大韓民國)), is a country in East Asia, covering the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. ... Kŭmgangsan (Diamond Mountain) is the second-tallest mountain in North Korea, with a height of 1638 metres. ... Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region (Kŭmgangsan Kwangwang Chigu) is a special administrative region of North Korea. ...

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. 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: July 2004 in sports Deaths in July • 31 David B. Haight • 29 Francis Crick • 29 Nafisa Joseph • 23 Joe Cahill • 23 Mehmood • 23 Illinois Jacquet • 23 Carlos Paredes • 22 Sacha Distel • 21 Jerry Goldsmith • 21... The Complex of Goguryeo Tombs lies in North Korea. ... UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1946. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ...

See also

• Culture of Korea
• List of Koreans
• Korean cuisine
• Music of Korea

The traditional culture of Korea is shared by South Korea and North Korea, but there are regional differences. ... This is a list of famous Koreans or famous people of Korean descent. ... Korean cuisine, made for common people, is based largely on rice, vegetables, fish, seaweed and tofu (dubu in Korean). ... The first evidence of Korean music is ancient, and it has been well-documented by surviving written materials since the 15th century. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in North Korea
• Transportation in North Korea
• Military of North Korea
• North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
• Foreign relations of North Korea
• Cities of North Korea
• Kimjongilia (national flower)
• List of Korea-related topics
• Public holidays in North Korea
• Korean reunification
• Korean friendship association

Communications in North Korea Telephones - main lines in use: 1. ... The standard route to and from North Korea is by plane through Beijing, China. ... North Korea now has the fourth-largest military in the world. ... North Korea has been attempting to obtain nuclear weapons since the late 1970s. ... The primary objective of North Koreas foreign policy is the protection of Korean sovereignty, which the government understands to mean reunification of the Korean peninsula and strict avoidance of foreign entanglements that could lead to political obligations on Koreas part. ... Map of North Korea The following is a list of cities in North Korea: Pyŏngyang (평양) Anchu-si (안주시, 安州市) Chŏngjin-si (청진시, 淸津市) Danchŏn-si (단천시, 端川市) Dŏkchŏn-si (덕천시, 德川市) Haechu-si (해주시, 海州市) Hamheung-si (함흥시, 咸興市) Hwichŏn-si (희천시, 熙川市... Kimjongilia is the national flower of North Korea, named after leader Kim Jong-il. ... This is a list of Wikipedia articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. ... Public holidays in North Korea Categories: Public holidays by country | North Korea ... Unification Flag of Korea The Korean reunification is the possible future unification of North Korea and South Korea under a single government. ... The Korean Friendship Association is an organization working with the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea). ...

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, ASIN 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
• 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
• Nanchu with Xing Hang, In North Korea:An American Travels Through an Imprisoned Nation, McFarland & Company (July, 2003), trade paperback, ISBN 0786416912
• Oberdorfer, Don. The two Koreas : a contemporary history. Addison-Wesley, 1997. 472 pages. ISBN 0201409275
• 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

... The Princeton University Press is a publishing house, a division of Princeton University, that is highly respected in academic publishing. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... The Princeton University Press is a publishing house, a division of Princeton University, that is highly respected in academic publishing. ...

External links

• korea-dpr.com (http://www.korea-dpr.com/) - Website officially associated with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
• Kim Il Sung (http://www.korea-dpr.com/library/201.pdf): 10 Point programme for reunification of the country
• NKzone (http://www.nkzone.org/nkzone) - discussions and information exchange on North Korea.
• Liberation in North Korea (http://www.linkglobal.org) - grassroots organization pressing for human rights in North Korea.
• Naenara (http://www.kcckp.net/external_e/) - extensive website on North Korea.
• SinoKorea (http://dprk-cn.com) - Korea Fan Workroom (China)
• Happy Birthday, North Korea (http://www.simonbone.com/myohyang.html) - A 1998 visit to the DPRK, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
• Korean Central News Agency (http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm) - Official DPRK news site
• North Korea Resources (http://mapage.noos.fr/jeejee/north_korea.html) - Links and backgrounds on North Korea
• Another Korea (http://times.hankooki.com/special/special_edition1_list.htm) - Background stories on North Korea
• Fancy a round, Dear leader? (http://travel.independent.co.uk/mideastandasia/asia/story.jsp?story=875) - The Independent (newspaper) journal describing a visit inside North Korea
• Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200403/200403020016.html) - Defector's Tales from North Korea
• "Think Again: The Korea Crisis" - by David C. Kang, Victor D. Cha (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/files/story19.php) from Foreign Policy Magazine (http://foreignpolicy.com)
• BBC Radio 3: Andy Kershaw in North Korea (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/onlocation/northkorea.shtml)
• BBC - This World (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/this_world/3436701.stm), Documentary broadcast in the UK on BBC2 on February 1, 2004.
• U.S. Department of State Consular Information Sheet for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) (http://travel.state.gov/travel/nkorea.html)
• North Korea Today (http://www.infovlad.net/underground/asia/nkorea/)- In Japanese
• Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48491-2004May22.html) - Article about capitalism trial in Kaesŏng Industrial Park
• Korea Peace Network (http://www.koreapeacenetwork.info/) - Letter of Appeal to American Public on US policy towards Korea
• Air Koryo Korean Airways(JS) Official Web Site (http://www.air-koryo.com/)
• Air Koryo Korean Airways(JS) Unofficial Web Site (http://hk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/index.htm)
• Pyongyang Sunan International Airport(FNJ) Unofficial Web Site (http://hk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/fnj.htm)
• Pyongyang Metro System Unofficial Web Site - 1 (http://www.pyongyang-metro.com/)
• Pyongyang Metro System Unofficial Web Site - 2 (http://hk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/pyongyang_metro.htm)
• Travel Info of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (http://hk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/jskorea01.htm)
• Korean Tourist Map (http://uk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/kpmap.htm)
• Diplomatic Mission List of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Unofficial Web Site) (http://uk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/kphome.htm)
• Foreign Trade of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Unofficial Web Site) (http://uk.geocities.com/hkgalbert/kpforeightrade.htm)
• Korean Musicals (http://www.angelfire.com/folk/ukgalbert/index.html)
• Korea Central Television news clips (Unofficial website) (http://www.pbase.com/julianjhh/news_kctv)
• DPRK pictures (http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~janki/dprk/)
• The Pyongyang Times (http://www.kcckp.net/ko/news/ForeignLang/times/index.php)
• CIA - The World Factbook: Korea, North (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kn.html)
• Library of Congress: North Korea, A Country Study (http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/kptoc.html) - Profiles the country's history, society, economy, government, politics and military.
• Looksmart - North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317916/us559898/us559967/us559991/) directory category
• Open Directory Project - North Korea (http://dmoz.org/Regional/Asia/North_Korea/) directory category
• Yahoo! - North Korea (http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Korea__North/) directory category
• Yahoo! News Full Coverage - North Korea (http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=World&cat=North_Korea) news headline links
• "Think Again: The Korea Crisis" (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/files/story19.php) in Foreign Policy Magazine (http://www.foreignpolicy.com)
• A log of a 1994 trip to North Korea (http://members.ozemail.com.au/~davidf/homepage/nk_1994.htm)
• Welcome to our Internet homepage "Uriminzokkiri" (http://www.uriminzokkiri.com/NaeNaRa/Main/main-eng.htm) - North Korea site
• DPRK Picture Gallery (http://www.korea-dpr.com/) - Nationalistic themes in the art of North Korea

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