Name:
- Conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- Conventional short form: North Korea
- Local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
- Local short form: Choson
- Abbreviation: DPRK
Location:
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea.
Population:
23,113,019 (July 2006 est.)
Nationality :
- Noun: Korean(s)
- Adjective: Korean
Ethnic Groups:
Racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese.
Religions :
Traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom.
Languages:
Korean
Government:
Chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994)
Note - on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju premier head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
Cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
Elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008)
Election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed.