10 bizarre things that may or may not be true about North Korea

North Korea is the focus of many unproven facts, rumors and speculation, amongst them:

1. North Korea has the largest military in the world (including active, reserved and paramilitary) with 7.7 million servicemen and women. The US have an estimated 1.5 million active military personnel.
2. Marijuana in North Korea is not illegal and can be bought at markets
3. The world’s largest stadium is in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang – it can seat 150,000.
4. North Korea bases its calendar on Kim Il Sung’s date of birth: 15 April 1912. So north of the 38th parallel, the year is 103, not 2015.
5. During the 1990s, all teachers were required to learn the accordion.
6. Due to a lack of fertilizer, North Korea was forced to use human feces as manure on crops.
7. According to his official biography, Kim Jong Il allegedly learned to walk aged 3 weeks.
8. North Korea has three television channels – two of which are only available on weekends, while the other can only be watched in the evening.
9. Elections take place every five years but there is only one option.
10. Blue denim jeans are illegal in North Korea as denim represents capitalist America.

 [The Independent]

This entry was posted in DPRK Government, Humanitarian Aid and Relief by Grant Montgomery.