15 Things You Didn’t Know About North Korea

Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang at night. Photo by Christophe95 Wikimedia 

15 Things You Didn’t Know About North Korea

North Korea has exacerbated its strict isolation from the rest of the world for pursuing nuclear weapons, 

The country began to recover from its state of chaos in 1948 after World War II ended. The major character in its history is Kim Il-sung, the Great Leader who governed the nation for almost fifty years.

A leadership that is dependent on a cult of personality has resulted from decades of this tight state-controlled system’s control. Human rights violations committed by the totalitarian state are also alleged to be widespread.

1. Officially, North Korea has been  known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

For seven decades, the Kim family has ruled the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, sometimes known as North Korea). The Korean People’s Army’s supreme commander and marshal of the DPRK were both positions given to Kim Jong Un shortly after his father’s passing in late 2011.

2. The  Supreme Leader of North Korea has been  Kim Jong-un

Photo by The White House from Washington, DC Wikimedia 

Beginning in late 2010, Kim Jong Un’s successor was expected to take over as North Korea’s leader. Kim was dubbed the “Great Successor” on state television following the death of his father in December 2011. He is a politician from North Korea who has been the Supreme Leader of North Korea since 2011 and has been in command of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. Kim Jong-il, who presided as North Korea’s second supreme leader from 1994 to 2011, and Ko Yong-hui are the parents of Kim.

3. 3. The biggest stadium in the world has been  located in North Korea

Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is the name of the biggest football stadium in the world. It is found in the North Korean capital city of Pyongyang. The facility has enough for 150 000 people. The venue, also known as the Rungrado May Day Stadium, opened to the public in 1989 and is currently the site of a handful of the North Korean football team’s matches.

4. North Korea has its own time zone.

photo by Jon Tyson Unsplash 

As of August 15, 2015, CNN reports that North Korea has its own time zone that is at least a half-hour distinct from every other location on earth. Pyongyang time, or GMT+08:30, was instituted in what appears to be an effort to return the nation to the time it used prior to the Japanese invasion in the 20th century.

Kim Jong-Un made the decision in April 2018 for North Korea to return to GMT +09:00, the same time as South Korea. The goal of this program was to foster cooperation between the two nations. The whole update was made on May 4, 2018.

5. The development of North Korea’s missiles was done using Soviet technology first

In the 1970s, with assistance from the Soviet Union, North Korea established its initial missile program. Such a name was assigned to the Taepodong-2 missile. Although having a minimum range of 4,100 miles, the missile has not yet been fired for testing. Its medium-range missiles have a range that allows them to be launched over countries close by, including Japan.

6. Both men and women, must serve in the military in North Korea 

photo by Stefan Krasowski Wikimedia 

Some countries do have rules requiring military duty, but they are usually not as harsh as those in North Korea. Previous to the most recent amendments, boys 18 and older were expected to serve 13 years in the military. The time frame was only shortened to 10 years in 2003.

The system of required military duty included women. According to a 2015 government instruction, North Korean women who graduate from high school are obligated to serve in the military until they are 23 years old. There are absolutely no exceptions to this rule. As a result, they have 100,000 active military personnel and at least 6 million paramilitary members working for them.

7. The country has a huge standing army and is one of the most militarized countries in the world

North Korea, which is home to an estimated 25 million people, has the 51st-highest population in the world, according to CIA data. One of the most powerful militaries in the world, according to Newsweek, is North Korea’s massive army, which has some 1,190,000 active-duty personnel. Nonetheless, only 4.7% of North Korea’s workforce is employed by the military.

8. One of the world’s poorest nations is North Korea

The destitution in North Korea has frequently been covered by Western media. the majority mentioning the mid-1990s famine that struck the country. In order to fill the gap between the estimated 5.3 million tonnes of grain it requires and the estimated 4.5 million tonnes it harvests annually, according to research from 2006, North Korea depends on assistance from abroad. The problem of starvation is still prevalent. In 2021, reports of extreme starvation in North Korea surfaced.

North Korea operates under a command economy, which is common in communist nations. The government’s exclusive control over all financial transactions prevents corporate competition, which is why the economy is stagnating. Poverty in North Korea has also been connected to the totalitarian regime’s inefficient governance. By 2020, 60% of North Korea’s population will reportedly be classified as poor.

9. North Korea has elections every five years

North Koreans go to the polls for elections every five years. Yet, according to The Economist, there is just one name named for the position of district deputy for the Supreme People’s Assembly on the ballots they get.

Voters only have the option of voting for or against the sole candidate on the ballot, which entails placing their ballot in a separate box from the positive votes and having their identify noted, which might be interpreted as a treasonous act, according to The Economist.

10. Seafood has long been one of North Korea’s top exports

photo by PublicDomainPictures Pixabay 

China is North Korea’s main trading partner. Fish and seafood are North Korea’s main exports, accounting for at least 60% of its total exports. It represents at least 25% of all goods sold abroad.

North Korea is also among the leading exporters of products derived from fish in the world. In addition to fish, North Korea also exports monuments.

11. North Korea has a wealth of mineral resources

The country’s abundance of natural resources is one of these amazing facts about North Korea. On the Peninsula, the majority of the minerals are found. Together with mineral resources, this also includes high-grade iron, lignite coal, copper, lead, silver, phosphate rock, gold, and tungsten.

12. The number of haircuts that are legal in North Korea is 28

Photo by Chris Knight Unsplash 

They contend that a person’s hairstyle can disclose a lot about their personality and beliefs. It conveys a message to numerous people. Yet, only a few options—which must fall inside the 28 officially sanctioned fashions—are readily available in North Korea.

In comparison, married women have more options than unmarried women. Women who are single are only allowed to have short hair. Men’s hair should be at least 234 inches long for those who are older and no longer than 112 inches for those who are younger. You might think this is absurd, but it’s one of those North Korean facts that defies all sense.

13. North Korea upholds religious freedom

Sources and estimates indicate that the majority of North Koreans are atheists or nonreligious. Yet, the bulk of the populace also engages in Korean Chondoism and Shamanism.

Little communities also comprise the Christian and Buddhist faiths. Although they profess to allow for individual religious freedom, thousands of individuals have already been tortured to prevent them from practicing a religion.

14. North Korea is home to some outstanding athletes as well

Although perhaps not everyone is aware of it, North Korea is also very good at sports. Since 1972, they have won multiple medals in Judo, Wrestling, and Weightlifting. They have so far won nine gold awards, twelve silver awards, and seventeen bronze awards.

One of the many talented athletes in the country is Kye Sun Hui. When she was only 17 years old, she took home an Olympic Judo medal. She was the youngest person ever to win the gold medal in the sport.

15. White Head Mountain has been North Korea’s tallest mountain

photo by Massimiliano Morosinotto Unsplash 

The highest peak on the Korean Peninsula is Mount Paektu, also called “White Head Mountain” at times. It is situated at 2,744 meters or 9,003 ft. The Korean civilization is thought to have started in Paektu, according to tradition. For this reason, it is still highly regarded by both North and South Koreans today.

In conclusion, In North Korea, there are a lot of unexpected things. Media portrayals of it as a lonesome and isolated nation are common. The complexity of this country goes well beyond what first meets the eye. everything about it is delicious, even the economy, which is obscure. North Korea has a unique, rich, and complex culture that is unmatched worldwide. International sanctions and a deteriorating economy are only two of the many challenges the country faces. People there have shown incredible resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity.

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