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North Korea

Culture & History

WARNING: North Korea is unstable, please read this travel warning before going!

Personality, Culture, & Identity

North Korea is everything that Kim Il-Sung brainwashed North Korea to be and that is, unfortunately, an isolated xenophobic country with so much national and ethnic pride that simply being foreign is an unforgivable sin. Of course, that situation is the very reason the country is so appealing and intriguing to many.

The people of North Korea are so isolated that they don't know any better than to believe what their government tells them is true. Many of these people have been the victims of lies from the day they were born and it worked due to Korea's past. For centuries, the people have been occupied by foreign powers and once they finally gained freedom, their government used this hatred of everything foreign to their advantage as they isolated their people, instilled greater pride, then emotionally blackmailed their people into accepting every change the government forced on their people.

The North Koreas view themselves as "Korean" just as the South Koreans do. As in the south, the Koreans in the north are very proud people who will defend what they believe they are at all costs. After centuries under foreign rule, both sets of Koreans have reacted in a very proud fashion since gaining independence in the early 1950s. Like in the south, this identity is truly all encompassing of the North Korean lifestyle, but focused on ethnicity and politics. However, unlike the south, the North Korean lifestyle and culture that supports their identity is very different from the lifestyle in the south. Most of the North Korean people believe the South Koreans to be "Korean" much like themselves, but also believe the South Korean government as an evil so no one from the south can be trusted, nor entirely included in the north's definition of "Korean."

History

The ancient Koreans were divided into a number of groups on the Korean peninsula and on what is today mainland China. Some of these groups were focused on the mountainous interior and north, while others lived on the lowlands. The terrain separated these groups and unity among the people took much to accomplish.

Not until the 400s or 500s did any one of these groups gain enough influence and power to oversee a vast area on the peninsula and even then there were a number of political entities that held power in various parts of the peninsula. During this time much of the Korean way of life was similar to that of China at the time and in the 600s Buddhism was introduced from China, making a substantial impact, particularly in the south.

In 936 the kingdom of Goryeo (the root of the word Korea) came to control much of today's Korean peninsula. This group ruled the region for the next couple centuries as Buddhism was spread and a distinct culture and ethnicity formed.

The Mongols, based in Beijing invaded the Korean peninsula in the 1200s and quickly overtook the landmass. With this invasion came Confusism and thoughts competing with Buddhism. After the Mongols and Chinese withdrew from the peninsula there was much debate between philosophies and allegiances. These debates and the battles that arose from them, continued until almost 1400 when a Confusism leader came to power and moved the capital to what is today known as Seoul.

Korea was then overcome by the Japanese in the 1500s and the Manchu Chinese in the 1600s. Despite this foreign rule, this time instilled a Korean pride in the people as they further developed their culture, identity, and even a distinct alphabet.

Once free from foreign rule in the 1800s, the Koreans counter-reacted to their past and banned foreigners from their country. The Japanese and small groups of French missionaries were asked to leave and the government only continued communication with China. This self-isolationism only lasted briefly though as the Far East trade routes were becoming increasingly important for European and North American powers.

Due to small battles and military threats from the United States and Japan, Korea finally opened up to the outside world in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, their fear of foreign rule came to being almost immediately after they opened up as Japan took the peninsula in the 1890s.

After a very brief period of independence starting in 1897, Japan retook the peninsula and maintained control on the region on and off until the end of World War II (WWII). The Japanese attempted to destroy Korean culture in a number of ways, but in part by destroying symbolic history such as buildings. This led to strong resistance and a failing economy in Korea. Many people fled to Manchuria (in China), while others stayed to fight or to try to make a living.

During WWII the Japanese insisted the Koreans fight on their side, but few agreed to this and many joined the Chinese army to liberate themselves from Japanese rule. Due to their geographic location, the Korean peninsula was the victim of Chinese-Japanese battles and by war's end the peninsula was in poor condition. To put a bigger strain on the economy, many of those Koreans who fled under Japanese rule returned to the peninsula.

At the conclusion of WWII, the peninsula was divided between the United States (in the south) and the Soviet Union (in the north) in the form of administration zones, but with the idea that the two sides would unite. The United Nations (UN) led a peninsula-wide popular election to determine future political governance, but the north refused to participate. Once results were tallied, the south declared independence as the "Republic of Korea" and the north countered by claiming independence as the "People's Democratic Republic of Korea;" both side claimed jurisdiction over the entire peninsula.

This political tension rose in the late 1940s until the Korean War broke out in 1950. After a surprise attack and quick advance into the south, the north fell back as the UN and US landed troops on the peninsula. To respond, China and the Soviet Union (although unofficially) entered the war and in 1953 the war ceased in a stalemate with a new border almost exactly where the original border had been.

Before, during, and after the Korean War, North Korea's government has been very "stable" as Kim Il-Sung and now his son, Kim Jong-Il have ruled the country during this period. However stability doesn't imply a positive state and the north is filled with restrictions, ridiculous laws, lacks of freedom, and is an example of how to violate nearly every human rights issue.

After great strides of improvement economically and infrastructurally in the 1950s, North Korea has stalled. This began in 1956 with de-Stalinization, a process of condemning self-rule and cult followings. In order to prevent the loss of his own cult, Kim Il-Sung shut his country off from the country leading this charge, the Soviet Union, then closed his country off from nearly every country other than China.

In addition to North Korea's self-imposed isolation, due to their poor human rights record, declining willingness to communicate, and their interest in producing atomic bombs, much of the world has placed trade restrictions or embargoes on North Korea. This has led to an isolated state with a crippling economy and worsening conditions. Every drought is magnified because trade to North Korea is almost non-existent and thousands of people starve as a result of this inability to obtain food.

These economic failures have led to massive barrowing, defaulting on loans, and due to a fear of international invasion, a strong focus on military build-up. Even after Kim Il-Sung died in 1994 and his son took over little has changed.

The situation in relation to South Korea is still unresolved. The people in the south today debate what is the best direction for their future; many people maintain unity, while many young people view a joint state would be little more than an economic burden, crippling the future of the nation. In the north, most people believe their leaders when told that they are the best country in the world and everyone else is falling behind; if the north and south do unite in the near future, the North Koreans will be in for a sad awakening.

Dress & Behavior

There are many odd restrictions in North Korea. The most important thing to note is to avoid anything the government will see as provocative, like South Korean flags or anti-communist slogans on shirts. In fact the best course of action is to avoid any clothing with any words or pictures as, even though these may not be offensive, the government may decide it is and put you on the next flight out of the country. On this same note, saying anything that could in any way be taken as an insult on the Korean people, government, or, most importantly, leadership will also put you on the next flight out of the country at best and in jail as a foreign spy at worst.

The first dress restriction, if that's the correct word, is that men are expected to keep their hair no longer than a couple inches in length so be sure to get a close haircut before arriving. For women, pants are outlawed as long skirts are the cultural norm so visitors may want to purchase a few of those prior to arrival. In general, most foreigners are only allowed into the country with a government-issued tour guide; check with your tour company before arrival for an updated list of dress restrictions in North Korea.

Behaviorally, the North Koreans are just as strict and unusual. You must be very respectful and courteous of local customs and traditions as they are very proud of their history, food, language, and culture. This begins and ends with being quiet, respectful, and modest, and standing out in North Korea is never a good idea so try to blend in.

Unlike many Far East countries, where saving "face" is important, in North Korea if you insult a person instead of them feeling shamed, you are just expelled from the country so be weary of what you say. Also remember that if you're on a tour and make any insulting comments or ask unwelcomed questions your tour guide may be punished or even imprisoned for your lack of understanding so keep your opinions to yourself until you leave the country.

When greeting people, the junior person in the group must bow to show respect, as the senior person in the group may reciprocate respect by offering his or her hand to shake. If you do shake hands, shake with your right hand and grab the other person's right arm with your left hand to show respect.

Dinning etiquette in North Korea has a number of unique customs as well; to learn about dining etiquette in North Korea, visit the North Korean Food page.

This page was last updated: November, 2011