North Korea, independent since 1948, is not recognised by Japan and South Korea.
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An American Soldier ran across the border to North Korea in 1962 and lived there for the rest of his life.
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In North Korea, the year is counted after the birth of its founder, Kim II-Sung. In 2013, it was the year 202.
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North Korea is officially not Communist. Since 2009 its ideology is called "Juche".
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North Korea is the world's only necrocracy: a government that still operates under the rules of a former, dead leader.
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Marijuana is legal and is not even classified as a drug in North Korea.
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North Korean archaeologists announced the world in 2012 they "discovered" lair of the UNICORN ridden by legendary King Tongmyung 2000 years ago.
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In the 50s, North Korea built Kijong-dong, a "nice" city visible from the border, to encourage South Koreans in. It's actually a ghost town.
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North Koreans may only choose from 28 approved haircuts.
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Kim II-Sung, founder of North Korea, was born on the day the Titanic sank.
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In the last 60 years, over 23,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea. Only two South Koreans have gone to the North.
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In 1974, Kim Il-sung took 1,000 Volvo sedans from Sweden to North Korea and never paid for them.
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North Koreans watched the 2014 World Cup on a 24-hour delay.
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North Korea has its own operating system called Red Star OS.
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In 2013, North Korea's president killed his own uncle by throwing him naked into a cage with 120 starving dogs.
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Possessing Bibles, watching South Korean movies and distributing pornography may be punished with death in North Korea.
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In North Korea, only military and government officials can own motor vehicles.
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North Korea's space agency is called "NADA", which in Spanish means "nothing."
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Wearing jeans is illegal in North Korea.
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North Korea holds elections every 5 years in which the ballots list only one candidate.
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North Korea is outsourcing its forced labor camps to work in Siberia.
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In 1953, a North Korean fighter pilot defected to South Korea with his MiG-15 and was rewarded with US$100,000 by the U.S.
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North Korea uses a fax machine to send threats to South Korea.
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There's an organization that parachutes copies of the Bible into North Korea.
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According to a textbook in North Korea, Kim Jong Un learned to drive at age 3.
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In North Korea, people don't celebrate birthdays on July 8 and December 17, since those are the dates that Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il died.
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North Korea
hosts the World's Largest Stadium seating 150,000 people.
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Cuba was caught sending Weapons to North Korea in 2013.
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Sympathizing with Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea, is an illegal act in South Korea. Even blogging can land you in jail.
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A defector used balloons to air drop thousands of copies of the film "The Interview" into North Korea.
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The 'de-militarized' zone between North and South Korea is the world's most militarized zone.
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For 20 years, the World's Tallest Hotel was a 105-story empty pyramid in Pyongyang, North Korea.
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When a single anti Kim Jong Il graffiti was found in Pyongyang, North Korea, in 2011, they locked down the entire city for 3 days.
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The Chollima, a mythical winged horse, is the national animal of North Korea.
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In 1978, North Korea kidnapped two famous South Korean filmmakers, a director and a leading actress, and forced them to work on propaganda films.
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Only 4 modern countries were never colonized by Europe: Japan, Korea, Thailand and Liberia.
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In 2016, North Korea accidentally leaked its DNS data, showing they only have 28 ".kp" domains. In comparison, there are 10 million ".uk" domains.
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Malaysia and Singapore are the only two countries on earth that are allowed Visa-free travel to North Korea.
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One of North Korea's largest exports is giant statues of foreign dictators.
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Bill Gates' net worth is 4.5 times as large as North Korea's estimated GDP.
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In 1969, a drunk Richard Nixon ordered a nuclear strike on North Korea for shooting down a spy plane. Henry Kissinger intervened and made him sober up before deciding.
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In 2011, North Korean researchers concluded that North Korea is the second happiest country in the world. The happiest is China.
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It is mandatory for all North Koreans to vote, even though there is only one candidate for each office on the ballot.
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North Korea donated $500,000 to Japan after the country was devastated by the 2011 earthquake.
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One of the main attractions in Pyongyang's Zoo, in North Korea, is a chimpanzee that smokes a pack of cigarettes a day.
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North Korea's diplomatic mission to the UN has 1,300 unpaid NYC parking tickets going back to the 1990s, owing more than $156,000.
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When a North Korean merchant vessel was attacked by Somali pirates in 2007, an American destroyer came to their aid. This event led to rare pro U.S. statements from the North Korean media.
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North Korea accidentally hit one of its own cities during a failed missile test in 2017.
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France still does not recognise North Korea, along with Japan and South Korea.
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