Interesting Facts About North Korea
North Korea, perhaps, wouldn't be as intriguing if not for its tightly closed borders, eccentric leader, and its status as a "communist monarchy." North Korea is undeniably fascinating!
1. According to North Korea's official calendar, it is currently not the year 2021, but rather the 110th year. The Juche calendar begins with the birth year of Kim Il Sung.
2. North Korea is home to the largest sports arena in the world - the "Rungrado 1st of May Stadium" which accommodates 150,000 people.
3. Marijuana is legal in North Korea and is not classified as a drug.
4. For 20 years, the tallest hotel in the world was the "Ryugyong Hotel" in Pyongyang. The 105-story hotel stands at 330 meters tall. Despite construction starting in 1987, it has yet to open.
5. North Korea has 51 "social categories" that rank the country's population based on their loyalty to the regime.
6. Only military personnel and government officials in North Korea are allowed to own their own transportation.
7. North Korea has its own operating system called Red Star OS.
8. It is the only country in the world to possess a captured U.S. Navy ship.
9. Over the past 60 years, more than 23,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea, while only two have gone in the opposite direction.
10. North Korea ceased to be a communist country. Since 2009, its state policy has been officially named "Juche."
11. Wearing jeans is banned in North Korea.
12. North Koreans can choose from only 28 government-approved hairstyles.
13. In the 1950s, North Korea built the "Peace Village" of Kijŏng-dong in the Demilitarized Zone to lure South Koreans. This "propaganda city" turned out to be nothing more than a facade.
14. The founder of the North Korean state, Kim Il Sung, was born on the day the "Titanic" sank (April 15, 1912).
15. In 2012, North Korean archaeologists claimed to have discovered the tomb of a unicorn ridden by King Tongmyong 2,000 years ago, the founder of the Goguryeo dynasty and state.
16. In 1962, six American soldiers defected to North Korea; defectors still live there today.
17. Possession of a Bible, watching South Korean films, and distributing pornography in North Korea are punishable by execution. There is an organization that airdrops Bibles into North Korea.
18. Elections are held every five years in North Korea. However, only one candidate is listed on the ballots.
19. North Korea uses fax machines to send threats to South Korea.
20. Residents of North Korea watched the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a 24-hour delay.
