Sage-Tips

How are the governments of North Korea and South Korea different?

North Korea is a one-party totalitarian state run by the Kim dynasty. South Korea was formerly governed by a succession of military dictatorships until democratization in 1987 when it held direct elections. Both nations claim the entire Korean peninsula and outlying islands.

Which political boundary divides Korea into north and south?

38th parallel
38th parallel, popular name given to latitude 38° N that in East Asia roughly demarcates North Korea and South Korea. The line was chosen by U.S. military planners at the Potsdam Conference (July 1945) near the end of World War II as an army boundary, north of which the U.S.S.R.

Do North Korea and South Korea have the same money?

After World War II, however, the division of North Korea and South Korea resulted in two separate currencies, each called the Korean won.

Why is North Korea different from South Korea?

Why is there a North Korea and a South Korea? Korea used to be one country but was divided after the Second World War. It had been ruled by Japan but when Japan surrendered, forces from the Soviet Union occupied the north of the country while US forces occupied the south.

How is North Korea governed?

The constitution defines North Korea as “a dictatorship of people’s democracy” under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), which is given legal supremacy over other political parties. Two minor political parties also exist, but are legally bound to accept the ruling role of the WPK.

What type of landform is North and South Korea combined?

peninsula
Together, North and South Korea form a peninsula. In fact, this particular peninsula is called the Korean Peninsula.

Why was the border between North and South Korea created?

It was established to serve as a buffer zone between the countries of North and South Korea under the provisions of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953, an agreement between North Korea, China and the United Nations Command. The DMZ is 250 kilometers (160 mi) long and about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) wide.

What is North Korean currency called?

North Korean wonNorth Korea / Currency
The North Korean won, known as the people’s won until 1959, is divided into 100 chŏn. The local North Korean won is not convertible to foreign currencies and is strictly controlled by the government (a special convertible won has been introduced for use by foreigners).

What is Korea currency called?

South Korean wonSouth Korea / Currency
The South Korean won. The South Korean won is the currency in circulation in South Korea since 1945, although it would later be replaced, temporarily, by the Hwan. It is divided into 100 dollars, the amount of which there is no currency. The plural of “won” is “wones”.

What is the difference between North Korea and South Korea?

Due to the poor diet of North Koreans, people there tend to be smaller than South Koreans. This is most visible among school children. The difference in life expectancy is similarly large: while South Koreans on average live to the ripe old age of 79, North Koreans die ten years younger at 69.

What is the difference between North and South Korea’s suicide rates?

The difference in life expectancy is similarly large: while South Koreans on average live to the ripe old age of 79, North Koreans die ten years younger at 69. It may come as a surprise for some that both countries have severe problems with suicide.

Who are North Korea’s enemies?

Alongside the United States, Pyongyang views its neighbors South Korea and Japan as its two other main enemies. North Korea has used US military exercises in the region as means of galvanizing its people, claiming that the exercises are dress rehearsals for an impending invasion.

What type of government does North Korea have?

North Korea was founded as a communist country with support from both the Soviet Union and China, but over the years North Korea’s government has shifted away from the tradition of Marx and Lenin. Now, Juche or “self-reliance” and a “military first” policy are the guiding principles of the Kim dynasty.