North Korea to reopen its borders for tourists: 10 crazy facts about one of the world's most censored countries

North Korea is reopening its borders - the state is going to start letting in international tourists for the first time since the pandemic in December. The DPRK was the first country in the world to fence itself off in response to the spread of COVID-19.

Now the Chinese tour operator Koryo Tours has confirmed that this year they will be the first to take visitors across the border to North Korea - tourists will be able to visit the picturesque city of Samjiyon this winter. Thus, OBOZ.UA has collected 10 most surprising facts about this secluded country.

The tallest building in North Korea is an abandoned hotel

This pointed building in the center of the capital Pyongyang is the Ryugyong Hotel, also known as the "Hotel of Doom". It is 329 meters high and is the tallest uninhabited building in the world. Construction of the abandoned residence began in 1987. It has been stopped and started several times over the course of three decades due to North Korea's economic problems. The hotel has 105 floors and a revolving restaurant on the top level but has never been in operation.

Women and men in North Korea have separate lists of hairstyles authorized by the government

Women and men have separate lists of government-approved hairstyles. If someone tries to experiment, they should think about it again. Any hairstyle other than those approved by the government can lead to arrest.

Their calendar is based on the founder's date of birth

The whole world is living in the 21st century, but for the people of North Korea, it is still the 112th year of Juche. The North Korean Juche calendar begins on April 15, 1912, the date of birth of its founder, Kim Il Sung.

The dream job for women in North Korea is being a traffic controller

One of the most popular professions among young women in North Korea is being a traffic controller. However, they must correspond the following characteristics: single, attractive, and under the age of 26.

North Korea has a three-generation punishment

The DPRK still has the rule of three-generation punishment. This is the practice of punishing family members of a person accused of committing a crime, a form of collective punishment. Such punishments were historically practiced in Nazi Germany, China, Japan, South Korea, and now in North Korea. If a person is found guilty of a crime and sent to a prison camp, three generations of his or her family, including parents and grandparents, are also sent there and must remain there for life.

North Korea bans information from the 'outside' world

In 2015, Kim Jong-un issued a decree to cancel all cassettes and CDs with songs banned by the state, as the lyrics could cause dissent among citizens. There are a small number of authorized songs, most of which promote the country's political ideals. In addition, only 4 TV channels are allowed in the country (and all of them are about local news and propaganda) and 28 websites.

North Korea has its own NASA

The National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) is the official space agency of North Korea. It was founded on April 1, 2013. It used to be called the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA), but the name was changed in September 2023. The company is responsible for the development of North Korea's space capabilities in connection with the principles of the North Korean Juche ideology and independence.

The country has a whole 'propaganda village'

On the border of North and South Korea, there is a "propaganda village" called Kijong-dong, a village that boasts of North Korea's economic success. However, people who have observed the village from South Korea have said that it is just one huge prop, with no one living there, and from time to time you can see workers sweeping the streets. It is believed to be a fake development show created to attract South Korean defectors and intimidate South Korea.

North Korea produces miracle drug

In 2016, North Korean state media reported that researchers had invented a new type of miracle drug. Made from rare earth elements, it is believed to have the potential to cure AIDS, eradicate certain cancers, and completely destroy the Ebola virus. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, scientists from the country refused to share the specific ingredients involved in the production of the drug.

North Korean researchers have found unicorns

In addition to miracle drug, unicorns also exist in North Korea. In 2012, the Korean Central News Agency reported a story about how researchers discovered a real unicorn lair in the country. This cave was allegedly the lair of one of the unicorns ridden by an ancient Asian leader known as King Tongmyong.

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