North Korea is perhaps the most isolated state in the world. It positions itself as striving for self-sufficiency and autonomy. Probably no time machine can send you as far back in time as a trip to this country.
Pyongyang
The population of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, is about 4 million people, and provincial residents have the right to get there only with a special pass allowing them to do so. There is a metro in the capital, but, despite this, the bicycle remains a fairly popular form of transport. Outside the city, it is customary to hitchhike, here you will not be denied if there is a place. And the military have the right to travel with fellow travelers on a legal basis.
Pyongyang, among other things, is a very beautiful city. There are many magnificent buildings and monuments, most of which are the largest in the world or among their Asian counterparts. For example, one of these buildings is the Arc de Triomphe, built entirely of white granite blocks, the opening of which was timed to coincide with Kim Il Sung's 70th birthday. She reminds the residents of the city of the Korean resistance. This Arc de Triomphe - an analogue of the Parisian - is considered the largest in the world. In the center of the city, there is a monument symbolizing the idea of Juche, the North Korean ideology created by Kim Il Sung. In recent years, high-rise modern skyscrapers have begun to appear in Pyongyang. It is noteworthy that you will not meet a single Pyongyang resident without a badge depicting Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
Facts that will surprise you
Marijuana and hemp are legalized in North Korea. But for the use of heavier drugs, the death penalty is provided. A term like "communism" has officially disappeared from the pages of the North Korean Constitution since 2009. The ideology that now dominates there is the previously mentioned Juche. Following the Juche ideas, North Korea seeks to become a self-sufficient country, independent from anyone, both economically and politically. This is the ideology of relying only on one's own strength.
Chronology in North Korea is not like other countries. The countdown of the official calendar of the North Koreans began on the birthday of Kim Il Sung in 1912. This year is called Juche-1. North Korea is home to the world's largest stadium, which can accommodate 150,000 people and was built in 1989. The standard of living of each individual North Korean citizen is determined by his position and his place in the so-called "table of ranks". This is a kind of list of residents, reflecting how much each of them is devoted to his country, ideology and leaders of this country. Depending on this, each is assigned its own rank.
