North Korea is famous for its unusual rules and regulations, but these 8 most ridiculous laws in North Korea take the cake.
For those of you who aren’t that well-acquainted with the magnanimous Kims who have ruled over the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (you read that right!) since 1948, here’s a little background for you: the dynasty began when Kim Il-Sung, grandfather of the incumbent Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, became President of the northern portion of Korea after the Japanese left it divided in 1945. And contrary to the propaganda which has been rampant in the country since then, it was actually the North which invaded the South in 1950 in a futile attempt to unite the Korean peninsula under its government. The war was essentially the then Soviet Union, China and North Korea versus practically the rest of the world, including the United Nations. An armistice was signed in 1953 and a Korean Demilitarized Zone from then on separated the two states, although (Fun fact!) the war technically never ended and is still ongoing.
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North Korea in its early days was greatly influenced by the Russian way of government, which in turn was characterized by Marxism-Leninism and communism, but Kim Il-Sung’s self-created philosophy of Juche eventually became dominant. Kim always ruled ruthlessly, but the North Korea of the past was very unlike the one of today, in that its economy and standard of living was far better than the chaotic and crisis-consumed South. This was mainly thanks to the Soviet Union and its close ties with North Korea, and needless to say, with the collapse of the Union, came the collapse of North Korea. That in no way affected the Kims, who have continued to rule till the present day. Kim Il-Sung still enjoys a certain degree of reverence, partly because of the cult of personality he propagated during his lifetime, and because he was designated Eternal President in 2016, a position he enjoys with his son Kim Jong-il. Both the Kims were embalmed after death and are on display in North Korea. I thought I’d mention it, in case you need ideas for the holidays.
Speaking of dicators, don’t miss our article on 10 Most Evil and Hated Dicators of All Time, as there are also a plenty of interesting things to read there.
In short, barbarism infused with a hint of crazy is what defines North Korea, and there are also plenty of weird laws that provide a clear idea of how the dictatorship manages to achieve that. Let’s take a look at the 8 most ridiculous laws in North Korea:
