A Final Paper in PA 243 Politics and Policy in Asia-Pacific Region

Updated and Comprehensive Comparative Details Between:

South and North

KOREA

Submitted to: PROF. VELOUNA R. PEREZ, MPA Instructor

Submitted by: GLENNE B. LAGURA MPA- student

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES College of Governance and Business Master of Public Administration

March 31, 2012

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KOREA: A History

Korea is divided into two separate countries, North and South Korea. Republic of Korea, which is called Daehan MinGuk in Korean, is situated about 120 miles northwest of the Japanese islands of Honshu and Kyushu and Jeju Island located about 60mile south of the peninsula. South Korea is bordered on the north by North Korea. South Korea is Republic country and it has a presidential system of government and president is elected directly by popular vote that the elected president serves for five-year term. However, the president cannot be reelected after serving five-year term. National assembly is consisted of 299 members and people, like president election, directly elect the majority of members. Reminder of members is appointed among the political parties. The Supreme Court heads the independent judiciary. North Korea, which is called Buk-han in Korean, is bordered on south by South Korea. North Korea is communism compared to the capitalism of South Korea. KIM Il Sung was the first leader of North Korea who was supported by the Soviet Union on February 17, 19471. Thereby, these two countries have been separated into the South and the North since 1953. North Korea is the highest authority in the country, the front party, was Party of North Korea and this party has been the establishment of socialism in North Korea. Their ruling ideology is Juche ideology meaning self-reliant and the idea was improvised in the 1950s for the purpose of cutting off the Soviet Unions influence. The Juche ideology has become the principal idea for all their action in North Korea. The current leader of North Korea is Kim, Jung-il, the son of the Kim, il-sung who died in 1998. Both South and North Korea had been one nation before the Korean war of 1950-1953. People could go back and force from northern part to southern part before dividing into two separate countries. People speak same languages, but having different ideologies after separation. Both Koreans share the same cognition of culture. However, the concept of culture is different from each other. South Korean concept of literary art is that it emphasizes a certain level of expertise, while the cultural diversity is accepted. In North Korea, whereas, concerning literary art is conceptually part of culture, accepting literary art same as culture. The social roles of literary art are also different between North and South Korea: North Korea literary art has a role to justify ideology for people, but South Korean literary art focuses on the tendency to prioritize individual level in creation and acceptance, and consider sociality or social role in additional matter. Moreover, people of North Korea who work in the field are considered as Professional creators, whereas, in South Korea, they are considered as intellectuals through certain procedures and ones economic status can be different by ones social evaluation and positions2.

www.koreascope.org www.multicorea.org

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Overview
South Korea
An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single country. It became a Chinese tributary state in 1392 with the formation of the Choson Dynasty. Korea gained independence from China at the conclusion of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895 with the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Imperial Japan, following the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, forced Korea to sign the Protectorate Treaty beginning a period of Japanese occupation. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a democratic-based government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communiststyle government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (195053), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea under the PARK Chung-hee regime achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. President LEE Myung-bak has pursued a policy of global engagement since taking office in February 2008, highlighted by Seoul's hosting of the G-20 summit in November 2010 and its scheduled hosting of the Nuclear Security Summit in March 2012, as well as the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Serious tensions with North Korea have punctuated inter-Korean relations in recent years, including the North's sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010 and its artillery attack on South Korean soldiers and citizens in November 2010.

North Korea
An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Kim Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in September 2010. Following Kim Jong Il's death in December 2011, the regime began to take actions to transfer power to Kim Jong Un and Jong Un has begun to assume his father's former titles and duties. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea's history of regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, long-range missile development, WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006 and 2009, and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community. The regime has marked 2012, the centenary of KIM Il Sung's birth, a banner year; to that end, the country has heightened its focus on developing its economy and improving its people's livelihood

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Comparative Table Between: South and North Korea

Details
Country Name

South Korea
GENERAL
Republic of Korea (South Korea) - ROK Local long form: Taehan-min'guk

North Korea
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) DPRK Local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inminkonghwaguk Pyongyang Red Star Magnolia Sieboldii Red Star Name: "Aegukka" (Patriotic Song) Lyrics/Music: PAK Se Yong/KIM Won Gyun Note: adopted 1947; both North Korea and South Korea's anthems share the same name and have a vaguely similar melody but have different lyrics; the North Korean anthem is also known as "Ach'imun pinnara" (Let Morning Shine) North Korea Won (NKW) Korean

Capital City National Flag National Flower National Symbol National Anthem:

Seoul Taegeukgi Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) Taegeuk (yin yang symbol) Name: "Aegukga" (Patriotic Song) Lyrics/Music: YUN Ch'i-Ho or AN Ch'ang-Ho/AHN Eaktay Note: adopted 1948, well 1910; both North Korea Korea's anthems share the and have a vaguely similar have different lyrics known by and South same name melody but

Currency Language

Religion

South Korea Won (SKW) Korean (Writing system: Hangeul) English (widely taught in junior high and high school) A 2005 census showed one half of the population practice religion. Among them: 10,726,463 Buddhists, 8,616,438 Protestants, and 5,146,147 Catholics comprise the three dominant 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 24,589,122 (July 2012 est.) 32.9 years male: 31.2 years female: 34.6 years (2011 est.) 250 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) total: 26.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) 0.535% (2012 est.) male: 65.34 years female: 73.24 years (2012 est.) 14.51 births/1,000 population (2012) 9.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) improved: urban: 58% of population rural: 60% of population total: 59% of population unimproved: urban: 42% of population rural: 40% of population total: 41% of population (2000) NA

PEOPLE and HEALTH

Population Median Age 48.87 million (2010) 38.4 years male: 37 years female: 39.8 years (2011 est.) 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) total: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) 0.26% (2010) Male, 77 years; Female, 83.8 years (2009) 8.42 births/1,000 population (2012) 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population (2008)

Maternal mortality rate: Infant mortality rate:

Population Increase Rate Life Expectancy Birth rate Death rate Sanitation facility access

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2009 est.)

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Details
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS - deaths: Children under the age of 5 years underweight: Obesity - adult prevalence rate Education expenditures: Literacy:

South Korea
9,500 (2009 est.) fewer than 500 (2009 est.) NA 3.2% (2001)

North Korea
NA NA 20.6% (2004) NA

EDUCATION
4.2% of GDP (2007) definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002) total: 17 years male: 18 years female: 16 years (2008) total: 9.8% male: 11.9% female: 8.5% (2009) NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1991 est.) NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): Unemployment, youth ages 1524:

NA

GOVERMENT
Political System Republic with a president elected to a single 5-year term by direct popular vote. Division of power among the executive, legislature (unicameral National Assembly), and judiciary branches Prime Minister appointed by President with consent of National Assembly Lee Myung-bak since 2008 Universal at 19 years of age 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural) August 15, 1945 (from Japan) Liberation Day, August 15 Communist state one-man dictatorship

President Suffrage Administrative Divisions:

Independence: National Holiday:

Constitution:

Legal system:

Executive branch:

17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten many times; current constitution approved 29 October 1987 mixed legal system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought Chief of State: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008) Head of government: Prime Minister KIM Hwang-sik (since October 2010) Cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation Note: President is elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; Election: last held on 19 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly Election results: LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent

Eternal President: Kim ilsung(deceased) 17 years of age; universal 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities (si, singular and plural) August 15, 1945 (from Japan) Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) adopted 1948; revised several times most recently in 2009 civil law system based on the Prussian model; system influenced by Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory Chief of State: KIM Jong Un (since 17 December 2011) Note: The rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2009 president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials Head of government: Premier CHOE Yong Rim (since 7 June 2010) Cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA Election: last election held in

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Details

South Korea
of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1%; others 10.1%

North Korea
September 2003; date of next election NA Election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Legislative branch:

Judicial branch:

Political parties and leaders:

unicameral National Assembly or Gukhoe (299 seats; 245 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 54 elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms) Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court) Democratic United Party; Democratic Labor Party; Future Hope Alliance; Liberty Forward Party; Renewal Korea Party; Saenuri (New World) Party; United Progressive Party Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Presidential: every 5 years National Assembly: every 4 years Local Government: every 4 years

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control) NONE

International organization participation

ARF, FAO, G-77, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNIDO, UNWTO, WIPO, WMO

ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,

Elections

Elections in North Korea are held every five years. At the national level, North Koreans elect a legislature, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). In addition to the Supreme People's Assembly, the people elect representatives to city, county, and provincial "people's assemblies" NK won (US$1 = 900.14) (March 23, 2012) $40 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $40 billion (2010 est.) $40 billion (2009 est.) Note: data are in 2011 US dollars;

ECONOMY
Exchange rates: GDP (purchasing power parity): SK won (US$1 = 1,136.05 won) (March 23, 2012) $1.554 trillion (2011 est.) $1.495 trillion (2010 est.) $1.409 trillion (2009 est.) Note: data are in 2011 US dollars

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Details

South Korea

North Korea
North Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown here are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2009 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion. $28 billion (2009 est.) 4% (2009 est.) -0.4% (2008 est.) -0.9% (2009 est.) $1,800 (2011 est.) $1,800 (2010 est.) $1,900 (2009 est.) Note: data are in 2011 US dollars agriculture: 20.8% industry: 48.2% services: 31% (2010 est.) 12.2 million agriculture: 35% industry and services: 65% (2008 est.) NA revenues: $3.2 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion (2007 est.) 11.4% of GDP Note: excludes earnings from stateoperated enterprises (2007 est.) -0.4% of GDP (2007 est.) NA $2.557 billion (2010) $3.529 billion (2010) military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea 120,408 sq km 130 sq km 1,671.5 km China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 17.5 km

GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate:

$1.164 trillion (2011 est.) 3.9% (2011 est.) 6.2% (2010 est.) 0.3% (2009 est.) $31,700 (2011 est.) $30,600 (2010 est.) $28,900 (2009 est.) Note: data are in 2011 US dollars agriculture: 3%; industry: 39.4% services: 57.6% (2008 est.) 25.09 million (2011 est.) agriculture: 7% industry: 23.6% services: 69.4% (2011 est.) 3.4% (2011 est.); 3.7% (2010 est.) revenues: $267.9 billion expenditures: $242 billion (2011 est.) 23% of GDP (2011 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

GDP - composition by sector:

Labor force: Labor force - by occupation:

Unemployment rate: Budget: Taxes and other revenues:

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Exports Imports Major Industrial Products

2.2% of GDP (2011 est.) 22.9% of GDP (2011 est.) US$441.5 billion (2010) US$400.6 billion (2010) semiconductors, automobiles, ships, consumer electronics, mobile telecommunications, equipment, steel, and chemicals.

TERRITORY
Location Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Area: Land Water Land Boundaries: Total Border Countries

96,920 sq km 2,800 sq km 238 km North Korea 238 km

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Details
Coastline: Maritime Claims: Territorial Sea 2,413 km

South Korea
12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait, contiguous zone: 24 nm 200 nm 12 nm

North Korea

EEZ

200 nm Note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

TOPOGRAPHY
Climate temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower 22.4% 1.66% 75.94% (2005) 14,600 sq km (2008) 77.1 cu km (1999)

Terrain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: highest point: Natural Resources

Sea of Japan 0 m Halla-san 1,950 m coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land permanent crops other Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultura l): total: per capita: Natural hazards:

16.58% 2.01% 81.41% (2005) 8,320 sq km (2008) 69.7 cu km (1999)

(36%/16%/48%) 389 cu m/yr (2000) occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest volcanism: Halla (elev. 1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries

total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%) per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000) late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall volcanism: Changbaishan (elev. 2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Environment - current issues:

Environment - international agreements:

Geography - note

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements strategic location on Korea Strait

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

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Details
Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system:

South Korea
COMMUNICATION

North Korea

Broadcast media:

Internet country code: Internet hosts: Internet users: Airports: Heliports: Pipelines: Railways: Roadways: Waterways: Merchant marine: Ports and terminals

28.543 million (2010) 1.18 million (2008) 50.767 million (2010) 431,900 (2010) general assessment: excellent general assessment: adequate domestic and international services system; nationwide fiber-optic featuring rapid incorporation of new network; mobile-cellular service technologies expanding beyond Pyongyang domestic: fixed-line and mobile- domestic: fiber-optic links installed cellular services widely available with down to the county level; telephone a combined telephone subscribership directories unavailable; GSM mobileof roughly 160 per 100 persons; rapid cellular service initiated in 2002 but assimilation of a full range of suspended in 2004; Orascom telecommunications technologies Telecom Holding, an Egyptian leading to a boom in e-commerce company, launched W-CDMA mobile service on December 15, 2008 for the international: country code - 82; Pyongyang area and has expanded numerous submarine cables provide service to several large cities links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite international: country code - 850; earth stations - 66 satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2009) multiple national television networks no independent media; radios and with 2 of the 3 largest networks publicly televisions are pre-tuned to government operated; the largest privately-owned stations; 4 government-owned network, Seoul Broadcasting Service television stations; the Korean Workers' (SBS), has ties with other commercial TV Party owns and operates the Korean networks; cable and satellite TV Central Broadcasting Station, and the subscription services are available; state-run Voice of Korea operates an publicly-operated radio broadcast external broadcast service; the networks and a large number of government prohibits listening to and privately-owned radio broadcasting jams foreign broadcasts (2008) networks, each with multiple affiliates, and independent local stations (2010) .kr .kp 293,862 (2011) 7 (2011) 39.4 million (2009) NA

TRANSPORTATION
116 (2010) 510 (2010) gas 2,139 km; refined products 864 km (2010) total: 3,381 km total: 103,029 km 1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2010) total: 819 Incheon (Inch'on), Pohang (P'ohang), Busan (Pusan), Ulsan, Yeosu (Yosu) 79 (2010) 22 (2010) oil 154 km (2010) total: 5,242 km total: 25,554 km 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2010) total: 158 Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Namp'o, Senbong, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Wonsan North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005) 17 years of age (2004)

MILITARY
Military branches: Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2010) 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches,

Military service age and obligation:

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Details

South Korea
including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; HIV-positive individuals are exempt from military service (2011) males age 16-49: 13,185,794 females age 16-49: 12,423,496 (2010 est.) males age 16-49: 10,864,566 females age 16-49: 10,168,709 (2010 est.) male: 365,760 female: 321,225 (2010 est.) 2.7% of GDP (2006) Military Demarcation Line within the 4km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limit Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

North Korea

Manpower available for military service: Manpower fit for military service: Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: Military expenditures:

males age 16-49: 6,515,279 females age 16-49: 6,418,693 (2010 est.) males age 16-49: 4,836,567 females age 16-49: 5,230,137 (2010 est.) male: 207,737 female: 204,553 (2010 est.) NA risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tokdo/Take-shima) IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid2007 and famine during mid-1990s) (2007) current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements once in China; within the country, North Koreans do not have a choice in the work the government assigns them and are not free to change jobs at will tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize trafficking, either within the country or transnationally (2011) for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Democratic

DISPUTES - INTERNATIONAL

Main disputes

Refugees and internally displaced persons: Trafficking in persons:

None

None

Illicit drugs:

None

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Details

South Korea

North Korea
People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003

*NA Not Available

References:
BBC BBC News (2012). North Korea Profile. Retrieved March http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15278612 News (2012). South Korea Profile. Retrieved March http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15292674 9, 9, 2012, from 2012 from

CIA The World Factbook (2012). North Korea. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html CIA The World Factbook (2012). South Korea. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html Durden (2010). Comparison of North and South Koreas Military Capabilities. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www.zerohedge.com/article/comparison-north-and-south-koreasmilitary-capabilities Jung-Bin Kwak(2002).Central Planning of North Korea and Market Economy of South Korea. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://econc10.bu.edu/economic_systems/Country_comparisons/Korea_Nort h_South.htm#kwak Jung Won Hwang (2002). Comparison of South and North Korea. Retrieved March 6, 2012, fromhttp://econc10.bu.edu/economic_systems/Country_comparisons/Korea _North_South.htm#kwak Noland (2003). North Korea and South Korean Economy. Retrieved March 13, 2012 from Peterson Institute for International Economics, Web Site: http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=242 The Official Website of the Republic of Korea (2012). Gateway to Korea. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Korea-at-aGlance/Facts-about-Korea#none

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