Portal:North Korea

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Introduction

The flag of North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea, like its southern counterpart, claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city.

The Korean Peninsula was first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan. In 1945, after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel, with the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south occupied by the United States. In 1948, separate governments were formed in Korea: the socialist and Soviet-aligned Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist, Western-aligned Republic of Korea in the south. North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950 started the Korean War. In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire and established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), but no formal peace treaty has ever been signed. Post-war North Korea benefited greatly from economic aid and expertise provided by other Eastern Bloc countries. However, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader, promoted his personal philosophy of Juche as the state ideology. Pyongyang's international isolation sharply accelerated from the 1980s onwards as the Cold War came to an end. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 then brought about a sharp decline to the North Korean economy. From 1994 to 1998, North Korea suffered a famine with the population continuing to suffer from malnutrition. In 2024, the DPRK formally abandoned efforts to peacefully reunify Korea.

North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship with a comprehensive cult of personality around the Kim family. Amnesty International considers the country to have the worst human rights record in the world. Officially, North Korea is an "independent socialist state" which holds democratic elections; however, outside observers have described the elections as unfair, uncompetitive, and pre-determined, in a manner similar to elections in the Soviet Union. The Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling party of North Korea. According to Article 3 of the constitution, Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the official ideology of North Korea. The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms. Most services—such as healthcare, education, housing, and food production—are subsidized or state-funded.

North Korea follows Songun, a "military first" policy which prioritizes the Korean People's Army in state affairs and the allocation of resources. It possesses nuclear weapons. Its active-duty army of 1.28 million soldiers is the fourth-largest in the world. In addition to being a member of the United Nations since 1991, North Korea is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, G77, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. (Full article...)

The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was supported by the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, while South Korea was supported by the United Nations Command (UNC) led by the United States. Fighting ended in 1953 with an armistice, with no treaty signed.

After the end of World War II in 1945, Korea, which had been a Japanese colony for 35 years, was divided by the Soviet Union and the US into two occupation zones at the 38th parallel, with plans for a future independent state. Due to political disagreements and influence from their backers, the zones formed their own governments in 1948. The DPRK was led by Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, and the ROK by Syngman Rhee in Seoul; both claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of Korea and engaged in limited battles. On 25 June 1950, the Korean People's Army (KPA), equipped and trained by the Soviets, launched an invasion of the south. In the absence of the Soviet Union, the UN Security Council denounced the attack and recommended countries to repel the invasion. UN forces comprised 21 countries, with the US providing around 90% of military personnel.

After two months, the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) and its allies were nearly defeated, holding onto only the Pusan Perimeter. In September 1950, however, UN forces landed at Inchon, cutting off KPA troops and supply lines. They invaded North Korea in October 1950 and advanced towards the Yalu River—the border with China. On 19 October 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) crossed the Yalu and entered the war. UN forces retreated from North Korea in December, following the PVA's first and second offensive. Communist forces captured Seoul again in January 1951 before losing it to counterattacks two months later. After the abortive Chinese spring offensive, UN forces retook territory up to the 38th parallel, and the final two years of the fighting turned into a war of attrition. (Full article...)

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North Korea in the news

9 November 2024 – North Korea–Russia relations
Russian President Vladimir Putin signs into law the North Korean–Russian Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a mutual defense pact with North Korea. (Reuters)
4 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine says that its forces have engaged North Korean troops for the first time in Kursk Oblast, Russia. (The Independent)
31 October 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly condemns the United States and European nations for making "zero response" to the Russian deployment of North Korean soldiers against Ukraine. (Reuters)
31 October 2024 – North Korean missile tests
North Korea launches an intercontinental ballistic missile on a "lofted trajectory" toward the Sea of Japan. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani says that this was the longest-ever launch of a North Korean ICBM, lasting 87 minutes, marking significant progress in range compared to previous tests. (Al Jazeera)

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  • ... that the Yalu River Broken Bridge, which connected China and North Korea, was built by Japan and destroyed by the United States?

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North Korea topics

History Korean independence movement | Soviet Civil Administration | Provisional People's Committee for North Korea | Division of Korea | Korean War | Korean DMZ Conflict | North Korean famine
Politics Constitution | Government (President · Premier) | Leaders | Kim dynasty | Cabinet | Supreme People's Assembly | Judiciary | Elections | Political parties (Workers' Party of Korea · Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland) | Juche | Military | National Defence Commission | Nuclear weapons | Human rights | Foreign relations
Culture Arirang Festival | Education | Holidays | Propaganda | North–South differences in language | Religion | Sport in North Korea
Art Architecture | Cinema | Literature | Music | Opera
Economy Currency | Agriculture | Automotive industry | Energy | Mining | Teleсommunications | Tourism | Transportation (Pyongyang Metro)
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