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Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! - Foreign Affairs - Nairaland

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Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Debater(m): 10:56am On Apr 13, 2023
Cc nlfpmod cc Seun cc lalasticlala cc mynd44 cc Seun cc Dominique

1. The founder of North Korea, first president Kim Il Sung, created the country's policy of juche or "self-reliance," which has essentially cut off North Korea economically and diplomatically from the rest of the world even in times of great need such as famines.

2. Kim Jong Il, son of the country's founder, has been said by state media to have managed amazing feats: He scored a perfect 300 the first time he went bowling and sank 11 holes-in-one the first time he played golf.

3. Between 150,000 and 200,000 North Koreans live in prison camps surrounded by electrified fencing, according to South Korean government estimates and Human Rights Watch. The worst camps are for those who commit political crimes, and offenders can have their entire extended family imprisoned with them. As many as 40% of camp prisoners die from malnutrition while doing mining, logging and agricultural work with rudimentary tools in harsh conditions, according to a 2011 Amnesty International report.

4. Only military and government officials can own motor vehicles.

5. North Koreans must abide by one of 28 approved haircuts. Unmarried women must have short hair, but married woman have many more options. The hair of young men should be less than 2 inches long, older men can go as long as 2¾ , according to a Taiwanese website WantChinaTimes.

6. All legal televisions are tuned to state-controlled domestic programming. The Internet does not exist in North Korea, other than a closed domestic network. Cellular 3G access is allowed to foreigner visitors. Few North Koreans know anything about world events apart from how they are described by North Korean propaganda.

7. North Korea's missile program was first developed with help from the then-Soviet Union in the 1970s. Its Taepodong-2 missile has an estimated range of more than 4,100 miles but has yet to be test-fired. Other medium-range missiles are capable of being fired over Japan.

8. The border between North Korea and South Korea is one of the most militarized in the world, according to the State Department. Pyongyang has about 1.2 million military personnel compared with 680,000 troops in South Korea, where 28,000 U.S. troops are also stationed. Nearly 6 million North Koreans are reservists in the worker/peasant guard, compulsory to the age of 60.

9. The World Food Programme estimates that 6 million of North Korea's 25 million people are in need of food aid and one-third of children are chronically malnourished or stunted. Analysis of escapees from North Korea shows that those born after the Korean War in the late 1950s were on average about 2 inches shorter than South Koreans. Most North Koreans subsist on corn and kimchi, a pickled cabbage.

10. In 1978, North Korean agents kidnapped South Korean film director Shin Sang Ok and his wife, actress Choe Eun Hui, to create a film industry in North Korea. The couple escaped to the West eight years later, after having made dozens of films.

11. The elder brother to current leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Nam, was passed over to become the heir apparent leader after being arrested in Tokyo in 2001 for traveling to Disneyland on a forged passport.

12. As many as 2 million people died as a result of famine in the 1990s caused by erratic government farming policies and flooding, according to the United Nations. Asia Press reported that a recent return of famine in the farming provinces of North and South Hwanghae has forced some to resort to cannibalism.

13. North Korea spends about one third of its national income on the military, according to a 2011 report from the South Korean government.

14. Annual GDP per capita is about $1,800, which ranks 197th in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. The GDP is 18 times higher in South Korea.

15. Electric power largely shuts down at night, and the homes that have electricity often receive only a few hours per day.

16. Schoolchildren provide their own desks and chairs, and money to pay for heat. Some students are forced to produce goods for the government. Some parents keep their children home by bribing teachers to keep quiet.

17. North Korea's regime gets much of its income by exporting to Japan and elsewhere counterfeit pharmaceuticals, such as Viagra, narcotics such as methamphetamine, counterfeit cigarettes and fake $100 U.S. bills, and by selling small arms and missile parts to terror groups and rogue nations.

18. Nearly all property belongs to the state. A modern independent judicial system does not exist. Religious freedom does not exist.

19. Foreign investment in North Korea reached $1.4 billion in 2010, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. European and Chinese companies have opened casinos for tourists and invested in mines for copper, nickel, zinc, iron and gold. Mineral reserves are estimated to be worth $6 trillion, says South Korean state mining company Korea Resources.

20. North Korea has a network of informants who monitor and report to the authorities fellow citizens they suspect of criminal or subversive behavior. Unauthorized access to non-state radio or TV broadcasts is severely punished.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Christistruth03: 11:04am On Apr 13, 2023
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Debater(m): 11:08am On Apr 13, 2023
1. North Korea Has Its Own Timeline
North Koreans don’t follow the same timeline as Western countries. They like to do things their own way.

North Korea started its calendar in 1912. Unsurprisingly, this was the year its founder and notorious dictator Kim Il Sung was born.

1912 is effectively the start of all time in the DPRK, and this year is known as ‘Juche 1’. The unusual calendar they follow is called the ‘Juche Calender’, and it’s named after the country’s defining ‘Juche’ ideology.

So while we’re living in 2023, in North Korea it’s currently ‘Juche 112’.

2. North Korea Has Bizarre Internet Rules
In North Korea, you can only visit 28 websites. Yep, only 28 websites! Given how the rest of the entire world is addicted to scrolling, this really is one of the most bizarre facts about North Korea.

In fact, the internet in North Korea isn’t even really the internet. It’s better described as a type of controlled intranet. The North Korean intranet, called Kwangmyong or ‘Bright’, is free to access IF you have a computer.

Unfortunately, computers are incredibly expensive, and you need to request permission from the government to access any of the 28 intranet websites available. That means that the North Korean internet is only really available for those high up in the party cadres who can really be trusted.

3. North Korea Uses Wood-Burning Cars

Okay, so North Korea is a bit of a pariah state when it comes to international relations. And because of strict international sanctions, oil has become very difficult to import to North Korea.

This means they’ve had to be a little bit creative in areas that we often take for granted in the western world. One fact you might not know about North Korea is that the country is using cars that are fuelled by wood!

There have also been reports of using solar-powered taxis and buses, although it’s not really clear if they work or not yet, or if they’re efficient.

4. North Korea Has A List Of Allowed Haircuts
In North Korea, there are only 28 state-approved haircuts.

The North Korean haircut rules are:

Men’s hair should be kept between 1-5 cm in length, with recommended haircuts every 15 days.
Women are allowed to choose from one of 14 slightly longer styles.
Spiked hairstyles are exclusively banned because the government thinks it’s rebellious.

Kim Jong Un decided not to include his own hairstyle in the restrictions, however, because he wanted to keep it unique.

5. North Korea Has Stolen Billions In Crypto
The North Korean government has made billions of dollars in the past few years from cybercrimes, including hacking crypto.

A recent US military report has found that North Korea’s hacking programme goes back to at least the mid-1990s – and has now grown to a 6,000-strong cyber warfare unit!

In fact, the FBI confirmed that North Korean hackers stole over $400 million dollars of digital currencies in 2021 alone.

6. North Korea Has Wind-Powered Buildings
In North Korea, there are wind-powered buildings in Pyongyang.

Electricity can be a problem in North Korea (remember those international sanctions we were talking about earlier?), so they’ve had to be a little bit inventive when it comes down to sourcing energy.

These wind-powered buildings will have large turbines on the top that spin when it’s windy. This provides power to the building as a whole. In some ways, this sort of makes North Korea a world leader in terms of renewable energy.

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Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by youngsahito(m): 11:11am On Apr 13, 2023
North Korea is thriving because they have the backup of Russia their friend in crime.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Debater(m): 11:18am On Apr 13, 2023
1. North Korea is a dictatorship: The country has been ruled by the Kim family for over 70 years, with the current leader, Kim Jong-un, assuming power in 2011.

2. North Korea is one of the most isolated countries in the world: The country has limited trade and diplomatic relations with other countries and tightly controls the movements of its citizens.

3. The country is heavily militarised: North Korea has one of the largest standing armies in the world, with approximately 1.2 million active military personnel.

4. The government controls all media: The North Korean government has a monopoly on all media outlets in the country, and citizens are not allowed to access foreign news sources.

5. Human rights violations are widespread: Human rights groups report widespread abuses, including political prison camps, forced labour, torture, and restrictions on freedom of speech and religion.

6. North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world: The country has a centrally planned economy and limited trade, resulting in low GDP per capita and widespread poverty.

7. The government heavily restricts foreign travel: North Koreans are not allowed to travel abroad without government approval, and foreign tourists are heavily monitored and restricted in their movements.

8. North Korea has a nuclear weapons programme: The country has conducted several nuclear weapons tests and has been subject to international sanctions as a result.

9. The country is heavily reliant on foreign aid: North Korea is heavily reliant on foreign aid to feed its population, with millions of people suffering from malnutrition and other health issues.

Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Adjovi: 12:15pm On Apr 13, 2023
Believe the west at your own peril

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Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by pol23: 2:07pm On Apr 13, 2023
I read this many years ago....I believed.
As years go by ,Eyes dey open, we dey travel, we dey meet people, conversation dey go on.
I now realized hate and exaggeration is the author of article like this.
check south Korean eyes on Tiktok, you will understand more about North Korea and the lies against them....
Truth is North Korea remains a yeye country.... but not close to the Author's description.

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Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Oniks001(m): 2:11pm On Apr 13, 2023
Western propaganda

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Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by mysticwarrior(m): 12:49am On Apr 14, 2023
pol23:
I read this many years ago....I believed.
As years go by ,Eyes dey open, we dey travel, we dey meet people, conversation dey go on.
I now realized hate and exaggeration is the author of article like this.
check south Korean eyes on Tiktok, you will understand more about North Korea and the lies against them....
Truth is North Korea remains a yeye country.... but not close to the Author's description.
You are right.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Oniks001(m): 6:14am On Apr 14, 2023
I watched the movie “interview “ when it came out. I thought it was a good funny movie,until a girlfriend of mine then,from Eastern Europe said to me.. do u think it’s funny that Americans are making fun of and later killing the leader of a sovereign country in a movie(Kim)?. And I think she is right. If for example Russia made a movie that ridiculed a US president, the US will protest,sanction the actors and label the movie as Russian propaganda.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Kingsnairaland(m): 4:43pm On Apr 14, 2023
Fake news.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by panafrican(m): 5:07pm On Apr 14, 2023
There is no Jihadists in North Korea. They cannot even try ! grin
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by CodeTemplar: 4:40am On Apr 15, 2023
13. North Korea spends about one third of its national income on the military, according to a 2011 report from the South Korean government.
This one surely caught my attention because it is almost the same story for all nations of the earth. They spend between one-quarter and one-third of their money on security and military.
As economies face harsher conditions, one of the areas the world will consider collapsing to free funds for social welfare is military spending. It will be a turning point for humans as they will see the futility of endless security needs and most likely embrace a single world governing council.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by CodeTemplar: 4:46am On Apr 15, 2023
Oniks001:
Western propaganda
...it is east to say western propaganda as a brainwashed being. What exactly is north Korea hiding about their prosperity?

Remember these claims are mostly compiled from escapees over decades and not just some beer parlour concocted gists.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by CodeTemplar: 4:54am On Apr 15, 2023
Debater:
1. North Korea Has Its Own Timeline

2. North Korea Has Bizarre Internet Rules

3. North Korea Uses Wood-Burning Cars

4. North Korea Has A List Of Allowed Haircuts

5. North Korea Has Stolen Billions In Crypto

6. North Korea Has Wind-Powered Buildings
You own compilation sounds more conservative.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Oniks001(m): 5:57am On Apr 15, 2023
They said the same thing about china,until we started traveling out and found out it’s all lies, they have more freedom and safety compared to the so called democratic west

CodeTemplar:
...it is east to say western propaganda as a brainwashed being. What exactly is north Korea hiding about their prosperity?

Remember these claims are mostly compiled from escapees over decades and not just some beer parlour concocted gists.
Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Debater(m): 7:51am On Apr 15, 2023
I wish you could have sense oo
No one ever said such about China
And these facts are from people who have escaped alive from there!
You guys don't research, you just blab
Oniks001:
They said the same thing about china,until we started traveling out and found out it’s all lies, they have more freedom and safety compared to the so called democratic west

Re: Many Shocking Facts About The World's Most Isolated Country, North Korea!! by Debater(m): 7:53am On Apr 15, 2023
CodeTemplar:

This one surely caught my attention because it is almost the same story for all nations of the earth. They spend between one-quarter and one-third of their money on security and military.
As economies face harsher conditions, one of the areas the world will consider collapsing to free funds for social welfare is military spending. It will be a turning point for humans as they will see the futility of endless security needs and most likely embrace a single world governing council.

Sorry, but you're completely wrong
Nigeria,USA, UK, Africa, Europe and other common countries spend about 4% on Defense. But North Korea spends a whooping 33% (one third ), which is why the country is poor

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