20 Interesting facts about North Korea

North Korea is officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK). The Korean Demilitarized Zone marks the boundary between North Korea and South Korea. Here are 20 interesting facts about North Korea

1. They have their own computer operating system: North Koreans use “Red Star OS,” which is offered in only the Korean language.

2. It is illegal to wear jeans in North Korea.

3. There is only one candidate to vote for in the North Korean elections, which take place every five years.

4. It is a ritual to not celebrate birthdays on July 8 and December 17. Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il died on these dates.

5. Interestingly, you can smoke Marijuana legally in North Korea. It is not even classified as a drug in the country.

6. History tells us that only two South Koreans have moved to North Korea, while more than 23,000 North Koreans have defected to the south over the course of the last 60 years.

7. The North Korean city of Pyongyang has the world’s largest stadium, boasting a seating capacity of 150,000. This stadium is used for football, athletics and mass games.

8. Surprisingly, haircuts are also approved by the supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un, in North Korea. There are only 28 styles of approved haircuts from which to choose in North Korea. Men can choose from 10 different styles, while women have 18 different options.

9. They have their own intranet – “Kwangmyong.” It was opened in 2000 and includes a browser, email, news and search capabilities. They do not have the open internet as it exists in other parts of the world. Most things there are restricted.

10. Government permission is required to own a computer in North Korea.

11. There is a ‘three generations of punishment policy’ in North Korea. The offender, along with his next two generations, has to bear the consequences of the offense.31. To date, the North Korean space program has experienced a success rate of only 20%.

12. North Korea has just 1,024 IP addresses, while countries like the U.S. have 1,541,605,760.

13. Death penalties can be levied for distributing pornography, watching South Korean movies and possessing Bibles.

14. Kim Il-Sung scammed Sweden out of 1,000 Volvo 144 sedans in 1974, and to date has never made the payment.

15. North Korea does not use the Gregorian calendar, which is also known as the Western calendar and the Christian calendar. They have their own calender in place. The Juche calendar was introduced in 1997 and is based on Kim Il-Sung’s date of birth: April 15, 1912. The year 2015 was the 104th year, as per their Juche calendar.

16. It is a ritual to not celebrate birthdays on July 8 and December 17. Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il died on these dates.

17. It still operates under the rules of a dead leader. And it is the world’s only necrocracy.

18. On average, North Koreans are shorter than South Koreans by one to three inches.

19. There is only one candidate to vote for in the North Korean elections, which take place every five years.

20. To this day in North Korea, about 12 million people suffer from poverty and lack of basic human needs.