Kim Jong Un Archives

Want to know more about North Korea? These are 20 Interesting Facts that you probably didn’t know about the country! I want to challenge you as well.. How many of these 20 facts did you know BEFORE reading this? Count them and let me know!

1: It’s Year 107, Not 2019

The year isn’t 2019. The North Korean or Juche calendar was adopted in 1997 and begins with the year of Kim Il-sung’s date of birth (1912 – or Juche I to North Koreans.)

2: The Country Holds “Elections” Every 5 Years

Always with a lot of excitement, North Korea hands out ballots with only one option on them, so votes swing, you guessed it, 100% for the Leader.

3: There Are Few Working Traffic Lights

There are not many traffic lights in North Korea and they have been working off and on for at least seven years. The traffic girls are occasionally sidelined when the traffic lights are working.

4: No North Korea Stamp In Foreign Passports

In North Korea you don’t get a stamp in your passport and it actually makes it a lot easier in any Airport immigration afterwards! You get a separate visa that you have to deliver back when you exit the country.

5: North Korea’s Has The Only One-Star Airline In The World

North Korea has ‘The World’s Only One-Star Airline’, Air Koryo, run by the North Korean Government. See for yourself what it’s like to fly on Air Koryo — the worst airline in the world.

6: World’s Largest Stadium

The Rungnado May Day stadium in North Korea has more than 150,000 seats. To comparison Barcelona’s Camp Nou has a seating capacity of 99,354 and is the largest football stadium in Europe. Wow, just wow!

7: Kim Il-Sung is seen as the ‘Eternal Leader’

Kim Il-Sung will always be considered North Korea’s Eternal Leader, even though Kim Jong-Un is the Supreme Leader of North Korea now. Kim Il-Sung’s statue is raising the hand in the sky to the left.

8: Pyongyang Is Only For The Elite

Life in Pyongyang, North Korea (@gustavrosted)

The capital Pyongyang, one of North Korea’s only big cities, is home to around three million people, but only the elite. Only trustworthy, healthy, and loyal citizens can live there.

9: Kim Il-Sung Scammed Sweden For 1000 Cars

Kim Il-Sung scammed Sweden out of 1,000 Volvo 144 sedans in 1974, and to this date North Korea has never made the payment. Now I understand why he had this million dollar smile!

10: One Of The Largest Armies in the World

North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world. It is estimated by the U.S. State Department that they have an active-duty military force of up to 1.2 million personnel.

11: ‘Three Generations of Punishment Policy’

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.

12: North Korea has no taxes.

North Korea is one of the few countries in the world whose residents don’t pay any taxes. Taxation was abolished in 1974 as part of the “old world.” Only organizations and individuals who are making money outside the country are not released from it. However, everything might change soon: it is rumored that the government is planning to reintroduce income tax in the near future.

13: Kim Jong-un Is Unique

In North Korea, it’s officially forbidden to give children the name borne by their Leader. If a child had been named like this before his accession, the parents must urgently change the name!

14: They Have Their Own ‘Intranet’

In Kaesong in the southern part of North Korea. No cars, like walking back in time!

North Korea has their own intranet – “Kwangmyong.” It opened in 2000 and includes a browser, email, news and search capabilities. No open internet as it exists in other parts of the world.

15: North Koreans Are Convinced Korea Is One Country

If you take a political map of the world made in any other country, you’ll see both North and South Korea on it. However, North Koreans are certain that there is only one Korea: any school map shows a united country with the capital of Pyongyang.

16: They Only Have Three TV Channels

There are only 3 TV Channels in North Korea. Which leaves me wondering how many families might be in prison for illegally watching soap operas from South Korea..

17: North Korea Has Death Penalty

Death given are sentenced for distributing pornography, watching movies not approved by the governments and possessing Bibles.

North Korea one of the last six countries to still perform public executions after Saudi Arabia, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Yemen.

18: Bill Gates Net Worth Is Three Times Larger Than NK

Bill Gates’ net worth is more than three times larger than North Korea’s annual GDP, as of 2017.

19: Almost Impossible To Walk Freely In North Korea

You need a guide to walk around North Korea as a tourist. I was extremely lucky to go during a special time, so I could walk around freely on several occasions. Watch this video on how it was possible for me.

20: Tourism Is A Very Small Part Of The Country’s Economy

Tourism is a very small part of the country’s economy. Due to government restrictions, only around 5,000 Western travelers per year make the trip. To compare London attracted 20.42 million international visitors in 2018. Big difference? Indeed so!

Goodbye North Korea and feel free to check out ‘The 8 Things You Should NEVER Do In North Korea.’

The North Korea Koryo Burger. Is this the most disgusting burger in the World?

Enjoying the infamous, stone cold Koryo Burger and goodbye to NK. Actually thought the burger was worse! 🍔

Take care everybody!

Gustav

gus1thego.com

Not following these rules may well get you or your guide arrested or killed in North Korea, so pay close attention.

1: Don’t call the country North Korea

Referring to the nation as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Korea or DPRK, will help to keep you out of trouble, while you’re on the inside of the country.

2: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

Don’t speak negatively about the country, its people, or its leaders. This is an major offence and has landed tourists in hot water, such as being sentenced to hard labor.

Don’t zoom in on pictures of ex-leaders or Kim Jong Un. He is the Supreme Leader and is literally like a God in North Korea. You have to respect him at all times, so absolutely no memes or jokes about him.

Even if you’re throwing a newspaper in the trash bin with him on the front page, it can be seen as a big offence! Forget all about folding a newspaper in two with Kim Jong Un getting folded.. In that case you have to fold it in 3, so that the Leader isn’t folded! I’m not joking, this is actually very useful knowledge.

You could get in big trouble by not doing this.

The Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un and his father Kim Jong-il who was the second leader of North Korea

3: Prohibited items

The following items are prohibited in North Korea:

– Religious material
– Pornographic material
– Political material
– Travel guides

You can bring in your laptop, tablet, camera and cell phone. Even though telecommunications are tightly controlled in North Korea and internet is close to non-existing!

Don’t pack a lot of stuff for your trip, because all electronics – not to mention your browsing history – may be inspected by customs officials. A good advice is to play with open cards and take out all electronics from your bag before the screening, it shows the military you have nothing to hide!

4: Photography

North Korean government authorities may view taking unauthorized pictures as espionage, and could confiscate cameras, film and/or detain the photographer. This includes photographs of airports, government buildings, construction sites, military infrastructure, transport hubs or anything which isn’t considered a tourism location.

I took a lot of pictures/video clips, but respected the above mentioned rules, so didn’t have any problems.
Make sure you’re not filming scenes of poverty or other situations that may cause a negative impression of the DPRK. To be fair you won’t see a lot of extreme poverty in DPRK, because they have no taxes and free housing.

Socialist fairyland. Officially, there are no taxes in North Korea and free housing. Far from perfect though!

Judge the situation before taking photographs in the DPRK, including of officials, soldiers or other people.

Drones are definitely a no-go. You won’t be allowed to bring a drone on the inside.

5: LGBTQ

While same sex relationships aren’t illegal in North Korea, authorities generally don’t accept them. It’s important for LGBTQ travelers to remain discreet at all times.

6: Don’t discuss or practice your religious beliefs.

North Korea is an atheist state that restricts public religion. Participating in unsanctioned religious activities such as publicly praying or toting around a Bible is a sure-fire way to get arrested, detained, or expelled from the state.

No cars in Kaesong in the south of North Korea. Like going 50 years back in time

7: Don’t break the rules.

Breaking a rule of the tour will not only put your life in danger, but will also put your guide at risk. He or she will face imprisonment and even torture for assisting your attempts at alleged espionage. Follow my 7 rules and do not take the rules lightly. If you want to break the rules, North Korea is probably not the right travel destination for you.

8: Vacations abroad

North Koreans are not allowed to go for vacations abroad. This is a violation of human rights, but the people of North Korea are probably unaware of this fact. So know this before you’re trying to get your North Korean citizenship!

About to go play volleyball with locals in North Korea

If you happen to be in North Korea during a national day or festival event like me, locals tend to be more at ease. Like in any culture, celebration, good food and beverages always help break the ice.

I was super lucky attending the May Day celebrations, where I could walk totally freely around myself, get in contact with many locals through sports and even joined a local picnic with karaoke out in the woods!

Absolutely special, but extremely rare you’ll have time on your own in North Korea!

Walking around freely in Pyongyang, North Korea during the May Day Celebrations

Please remember to follow these rules, this is not just any country.. But it surely is a special one.

See you next time, North Korea 👋