List of companies of North Korea

Location of North Korea

North Korea is a country in East Asia, in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It claims sovereignty over South Korea. Over time North Korea has gradually distanced itself away from the world communist movement. Juche, an ideology of national self-reliance, was introduced into the constitution as a "creative application of Marxism–Leninism"[1] in 1972.[2][3] The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms. Most services such as healthcare, housing, and food production are subsidized or state-funded.[4] From 1994 to 1998, North Korea suffered from a famine that resulted in the deaths of between 0.24 and 3.5 million people, and the country continues to struggle with food production.[5] North Korea follows Songun, or "military-first" policy.[6] It is the country with the highest number of military and paramilitary personnel, with a total of 9,495,000 active, reserve, and paramilitary personnel. Its active duty army of 1.21 million is the fourth largest in the world, after China, the United States, and India.[7]

Due to the command economy of North Korea, there are relatively few companies in North Korea and they are all managed by the government.

  1. ^ French 2007, p. 32.
  2. ^ Wikisource:Constitution of North Korea (1972)
  3. ^ Martin 2004, p. 111: "Although it was in that 1955 speech that Kim Il-sung gave full voice to his arguments for juche, he had been talking along similar lines as early as 1948."
  4. ^ Country Profile 2007, pp. 7–8.
  5. ^ "UN: North Korea's policies cause the nation's food shortages". Pajamas Media. 23 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  6. ^ H. Hodge (2003). "North Korea’s Military Strategy", Parameters, U.S. Army War College Quarterly.
  7. ^ Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (April 2007). "Background Note: North Korea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 1 August 2007.