There is no state religion in North Korea, as the country pursues a policy of atheism. About 70% of the population of the state are atheists. Among believers, adherents of Chondoism, Confucianism and shamanism predominate, there are also Christians and Buddhists.
Transport in North Korea
There are no direct flights from Russia to North Korea. The country can be reached by plane with a transfer in Beijing or Shenyang. Also, from Moscow and Novosibirsk to Pyongyang, as part of the train to Beijing, direct cars run. They follow through China, so a transit visa is required.
Inside the country, tourists are allowed to move only accompanied by guides. Therefore, they will deal with all transportation issues. In general, transport links between the main cities are carried out by trains or planes, but tourists are not allowed to fly on local airlines. Pyongyang
has a subway and buses, trolleybuses and trams. It is not possible to rent a car in North Korea.
Plant and Animal World in North Korea
The slopes of the North Korean Mountains are covered with coniferous, mixed and broad-leaved forests, and the slopes of the spurs of the East Korean Mountains are covered with broad-leaved forests. In the 20th century, forests began to be intensively cut down, and in their place, rice fields and agricultural land were located on terraces. Many medicinal plants grow on the territory of the country, the most popular plant that is exported to other countries is ginseng.
Foxes, wild boars, gorals, roe deer, spotted deer, red deer, columns, otters, squirrels live in the forests, sometimes you can meet tigers, leopards, lynxes and Ussuri and white-breasted bears. In coastal areas, the greatest diversity of birds is observed: passerines, herons, cranes, storks, geese, ducks, sandpipers, gulls, cormorants, razorbills, guillemots and guillemots. In addition, on the territory of North Korea there are such birds of prey as the Kamchatka eagle, and large birds of the gaiter order – pheasants, black grouse and hazel grouse. Several hundred species of fish live in the coastal and inland waters of the country.
Minerals in North Korea
North Korea has large reserves of coal, iron ore graphite and magnesite. There are also deposits of polymetallic ores, copper ores, manganese ores, chromium ores, nickel ores, cobalt ores, tungsten ores, molybdenum ores, as well as gold and silver.
Banks in North Korea
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00 with a lunch break from 12:00 to 14:00.
Money in North Korea
The official currency of the state is won. 1 won is equal to 100 chon. There are banknotes in denominations of 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 won, as well as coins of 1 won and 50, 10, 5 and 1 chon.
It must be remembered that any currency fraud in the country is prohibited by law, which is, among other things, currency exchange from individuals. Therefore, currency can only be exchanged in banks or large hotels. However, foreigners, with the exception of embassy employees, are not allowed to carry North Korean currency. Most often, all services are already included in the cost of tours, and travelers will be able to make purchases only in foreign exchange shops, where they pay mainly in euros.
Credit cards are accepted only in the capital of the country. Before traveling, you should check with the bank that issued your credit card about the possibility of using it in North Korea. Traveler’s checks are not cashed in North Korea.
Rate: 1000 DPRK won (KPW) = 6.94 USD
Political State in North Korea
The full name of the country is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It is called North Korea or North Korea for short. According to politicsezine, North Korea has a communist form of government. This is the only country in the world in which, in the absence of a monarchical form of government, power is inherited. Now the head of state, as well as the general secretary of the Workers’ Party of the DPRK (the main political party of the country) and the chairman of the DPRK Defense Committee is the son of the Great Leader Kim Il Sung – Great Leader Kim Jong Il. Legislative power is concentrated in the hands of the Central People’s Committee. Executive power is vested in the Central People’s Committee and the Supreme People’s Assembly.
Population in North Korea
Most of the population of North Korea (about 99%) are Koreans. Also on the territory of the country live such national minorities as the Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese.
Language:
The official language of North Korea is Korean.
Cuisine in North Korea
The menu, which is developed for tours, most often includes European dishes. However, if you agree with the guide in advance, you can also taste Korean food.
Most Korean food is based on rice. This cereal is especially revered by the locals. Among the most popular rice dishes, one can single out pap unleavened rice porridge, rice balls, chhaltok or tteok rice chops, a special bibimbap pilaf, cook soup served with boiled rice, a sandwich of rice, vegetables and scrambled eggs. “kimbap” and rice with cold vegetables, red pepper paste and fried eggs. Boiled rice is usually served with a variety of snacks (“panchang”): Korean pickled or sauerkraut “kimchi” (“kimchi”) with various additives, Korean carrots, mushrooms and the traditional “hye” (“hwe”) – a dish of slightly salted or marinated in vinegar or soy sauce meat, fish, vegetables or seafood.
For the first time in North Korea, soups are served: beef broth with ribs “kalbi-tang”, fresh soy soup with egg yolk and shellfish “sundubu-jigae”, thick soup with fermented soybean paste “doenjang-jigae”, cold soup made from green onion, haemul-tang spicy seafood soup, maeunthan spicy fish soup, khonnamulguk soybean sprouted soup, seaweed soup, and luotal meat soup with rice.
Dishes of all kinds of seafood and vegetables are popular in the country. Meat dishes are prepared mainly from pork, beef or chicken. Be sure to try such traditional dishes as Korean bulgogi skewers, fried beef or pork ribs “kalbi”, stew with pork or beef ribs “kalbichim”, chicken stew with onions, sweet potatoes, rice and dry seaweed “takkalbi”, dumplings “mandu”, marinated meat and stuffed omelettes. A real delicacy in North Korea is dog meat.
On the table there are always soy sauce “kanzhang” (“dwenzhzhang”) and meat broths with the addition of herbs, vegetables, herbs and spices.
From drinks in the country they use non-carbonated mineral water, rice or barley decoctions and decoctions and infusions of “cha” herbs. Local alcoholic drinks are represented by insam-yu ginseng vodka, makkori or nonju rice wine, moonshine, fruit liqueurs, soju rice liquor, and Pyongyang beer.
