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North Korea turns 70 this week – but how much do you know about the hermit state?
Officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Government was formed on September 9, 1948, after post-War talks on reunification with the South failed.
It’s now famed for despot leader Kim Jong-un and his bizarre decrees. Here NADINE LINGE reveals 15 facts about the mysterious country.
READ MORE: Kim Jong-un assassination attempt fears after despot surrounds himself with goons
Wearing blue jeans is illegal as they are seen as a symbol of capitalism. Other banned fashion items include skinny jeans, brands and body piercings.
And bad news for Pat Sharp: Mullets are also against the rules. In 2017, it was claimed there are only 15 approved haircuts for men and women.
North Korea has its own calendar which starts with the birth of its founder Kim Il-Sung in 1912. So it’s now the year 112 rather than 2023.
You can only browse 28 websites which mainly paint North Korea in a positive light and Western countries the opposite.
North Koreans are two inches shorter than South Koreans. Researchers believe that’s down to malnutrition. The UN reckons 42% of North Koreans are malnourished
Capital Pyongyang is home to one of the world’s largest stadiums, Rungrado 1st of May.
It’s best known for the gymnastic Arirang Mass Games. The 2007 event holds the world record for largest gymnastics
display when 100,090 gymnasts, artists and performers took part.
Not sure what Kim Jong-Un’s pal Dennis Rodman would say, but the country also has its own rules for basketball. For example, a slam dunk is worth three points rather than the customary two.
Ballot papers for elections only have one name on the paper. Voters can vote either for or against the candidate.
North Koreans cannot be named after their leaders.
Only 26% of North Korea’s population has access to electricity. Many households are restricted to two hours’ power per day due to priority being given to manufacturing plants.
As well as the usual school supplies, parents have to provide desks and chairs for their children. You need government permission to buy a computer.
When they couldn’t get Chinese fertiliser last year, rural communities were instructed to produce their own manure, in the form of human excrement.
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The tallest building is an empty hotel. While it was designed with 300 rooms, the 1,080ft pyramid-shaped Ryug-yong Hotel in Pyongyang has never welcomed a single guest.
It practices necrocracy – a government following rules of a dead leader. Jong-Un’s dad Kim Il-Sung, died in 1994, but holds the title “Eternal Leader”.
- North Korea Dprk
- Kim Jong Un
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