Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

1.

2.

North Korea
South Korea
Official Name
Democratic People's Republic of
Korea (DPRK)
Republic of Korea (ROK)
Motto
Kangsŏng Daeguk (Powerful and
Prosperous Nation)
"홍익인간" (Benefit Broadly the
Human World)
Anthem
Aegukka (The Patriotic Song)
Aegukka (The Patriotic Song)
Official languages
Korean
Korean
Official scripts
Chosŏn'gŭl
Hangul
Government
Single-party state (various
interpretations)
Unitary presidential
constitutional republic
Leaders
Kim Jong-un – Supreme Leader
Park Geun-hye – President
Jung Hong-won – Prime Minister
Legislature
Supreme People's Assembly
National Assembly

3.

Location
The northern part of the Korean
Peninsula in East Asia, lying
between latitudes 37° and 43°N,
and longitudes 124° and 131°E.
The southern part of the Korean
Peninsula in East Asia, lying
between latitudes 33° and 39°N,
and longitudes 124° and 130°E.
Borders
North Korea shares land borders
with China and Russia to the north,
and borders South Korea along the
Korean Demilitarized Zone. To its
west are the Yellow Sea and Korea
Bay, and to its east lies Japan across
the Sea of Japan (East Sea of
Korea).
South Korea is flanked by the
Yellow Sea to the west, and Sea
of Japan (East Sea) to the east. Its
southern tip lies on the Korea
Strait and the East China Sea.
Capital and Largest
City
Pyongyang
Seoul
Other major cities
Busan (with a population of 3.5
Kaesong in the south, Sinuiju in the
million), Incheon (2.5 million),
northwest, Wonsan and Hamhung in
Daegu (2.5 million), Daejeon (1.4
the east and Chongjin in the
million), Gwangju (1.4 million)
northeast.
and Ulsan (1.1 million).

4.

Culture
Art
Despite a historically strong Chinese
influence, Korean culture has shaped its
own unique identity. North Koreans
have almost no exposure to foreign
influence apart from occasional
performances like the New York
Philharmonic Orchestra concert in
February 2008. Contemporary cultural
expression in the country serves a
primarily didactic purpose by
promoting the Juche idea and Korean
reunification.
South Korea shares its traditional culture
with North Korea, but the two Koreas have
developed distinct contemporary forms of
culture since the peninsula was divided in
1945. Historically, while the culture of
Korea has been heavily influenced by that of
neighboring China, it has nevertheless
managed to develop a unique cultural
identity that is distinct from its larger
neighbor. The industrialization and
urbanization of South Korea have brought
many changes to the way Korean people
live.
Korean art has been highly influenced by
Visual arts are generally produced in the
Buddhism and Confucianism, which can be
aesthetics of Socialist realism. North
seen in the many traditional paintings,
Korean painting combines the influence
sculptures, ceramics and the performing arts.
of Soviet and Japanese visual
Korean pottery and porcelain, such as
expression to instill a sentimental
Joseon's baekja and buncheong, and
loyalty to the system. Portraits and
Goryeo's celadon are well known throughout
sculptures depicting Kim Il-sung, Kim
the world. The Korean tea ceremony,
Jong-il and Kim Jong-un are classed as
pansori, talchum and buchaechum are also
"Number One works"
notable Korean performing arts.

5.

Music
Literature
The government emphasized
optimistic folk-based tunes and
revolutionary music throughout most
of the 20th century. Ideological
messages are conveyed through
massive orchestral pieces.
Until the 1990s, trot and ballads dominated
Korean popular music. The emergence of the
rap group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992 marked a
turning point for Korean popular music, also
known as K-pop, as the group incorporated
elements of popular musical genres of rap, rock,
and techno into its music. Hip hop, dance and
ballad oriented acts have become dominant in
the Korean popular music scene, though trot is
still popular among older Koreans.
Serious fiction is provided by the choices of
Unlike the former Soviet Union, no
some contemporary authors by the Korea
literary underground exists and there
Literature Translation Institute for translation
are no known dissident writers. All
into English, French, German and Spanish.
publishing houses are owned by the
Various international literature is translated into
government or the KWP because they
Korean. The Korea literature market is
are considered an important tool for
dominated by typical mass market genres,
propaganda and agitation. Foreign
including: Popular novels, detective novels,
literature did not appear until 1984,
Political fiction, Fantasy fiction, Science fiction
when North Korean editions of
& boundary literature. Non-fiction essayists
Indian, German, Chinese and Russian
include Chang Young-hee. Notable modern
fairy tales, Tales from Shakespeare
poets include Moon Deok-soo, Choi Nam-son
and some works of Bertolt Brecht
and Kim Sowol, Ki Hyung-do, Chon Sangand Erich Kästner were printed.
pyong.

6.

Language
North Korea shares the Korean
language with South Korea,
although some dialect differences
exist within both Koreas. North
Koreans refer to their Pyongyang
dialect as munhwa ("cultured
language") as opposed to South
Korea's Seoul dialect, the p'yojuno
("standard language"), which is
viewed as decadent because of its
usage of Japanese and English
loanwords.
South Korea shares the Korean
language with North Korea,
although some dialect differences
exist within both Koreas. South
Koreans mainly speak the
p'yojuno dialect, with usage of
Japanese and English loanwords.
Hangul is the official script.

7. 24 letters: 10 vowels + 14 consonants

8.

9.

10.

Yeh
Yes.
ah-ni-o
No.
kwen-chah-nah-yo
It’s okay. That’s alright.
ahn-nyong-ha-se-yo
How are you? How do you do? [also in reply]
ahn-nyong-i kah-se-yo
Good bye.
kahm-sa-hahm-ni-da
Thank you. [formal]
koh-mahp-soom-ni-da
Thank you. [less formal]
che-sohng-hahm-ni-da
I am sorry. [intense]
mi-ahn-hahm-ni-da
I am sorry. [less intense]

11.

How are you?
Ёчжым оттоссымника?
I’m fine, thank you!
Чаль чинэмнида
Brilliant!
Ачжу чоссымнида
Good
Чоссымнида
Not bad
Куенчансымнида
Bad
Онманимнида

12.

What is your name?
Ирими оттокхе твесимника?
My name is…
Че ирымын … имнида
I’m from
Russia
Belarus
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Ireland
England
USA
… эсо вассымнида
Росиа
Пэкросиа
Укхыраина
Ккачжахассытхан
Аиллэнды
Ёнгук
Мигук