North Korea: The World’s Most Strict and Mysterious Nation

There are some countries in the world whose laws are so harsh and strange that it’s hard to believe they actually exist. North Korea is one such nation — where elections happen, but you have no choice in whom to vote for. You can only vote for one person, and if you don’t, you risk going straight to jail.

On TV, there is only one channel, and changing the channel is not even an option. North Korea might be the only country in the world where not only committing a crime but even thinking about a crime can land you in prison.

Historically, until 1945, Japan ruled the entire Korean peninsula for about 35 years. After World War II, Korea was divided into two parts: North Korea and South Korea. The Soviet Union influenced the North, while the South came under American influence. In 1948, Kim Il-sung from the Kim dynasty was made the leader of North Korea, officially called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. But democracy never truly existed there.

In 1950, a war broke out between North and South Korea, known as the Korean War. Even after the war ended, no peace treaty was signed, so technically, both countries remain in a state of war to this day.

Power in North Korea has been maintained by a single family for three generations — first Kim Il-sung, then his son Kim Jong-il, and now his grandson Kim Jong-un. Each ruler has relied on the strictest laws to hold onto power, using fear and harsh punishments to control the people.

In 2024, North Korea banned the use of sunglasses and even placed restrictions on wedding attire. Instead of music, speeches by the Kim family play in subways and public stations, and people are forbidden from talking or making noise during these times. Watching South Korean dramas or Hollywood movies is illegal and punishable by forced labor camps or worse.

Ordinary citizens are not allowed to use the global internet — only a tightly controlled, government-monitored intranet is accessible, which operates solely inside the country. Making phone calls abroad without government permission is also illegal.

The media is completely state-controlled. There is no concept of private media. Television, radio, and newspapers only broadcast government propaganda praising the Kim dynasty and demonizing foreign enemies like the United States. People are taught from childhood to hate America and its allies.

The government even strictly controls hairstyles, clothing, and food choices. Jeans, dyed hair, flashy clothes, hot dogs — all banned as symbols of Western influence. Violating these rules results in confiscation and punishment.

Traveling between cities requires permits, and passports are only given to government officials and close associates of the Kim family. Ordinary citizens cannot leave the country under any circumstances.

Land, homes, shops, and businesses all belong to the state. No individual can own property, only use it with government permission. Practicing any religion is illegal, though churches exist as showpieces to the outside world. Those caught practicing faith are sent to labor camps.

Anyone who tries to oppose the government or speak against the Kim family risks imprisonment not only for themselves but for their entire family for up to three generations. Every neighborhood and building is monitored by government spies who keep a close watch on citizens’ activities.

In North Korea, even thinking about committing a crime is a crime. Reporting dissenting thoughts to authorities can save you from punishment, but also means betraying your own conscience.

Life in North Korea is under constant state supervision. Weekly “self-criticism” sessions force people to confess their mistakes in front of others. Voting is mandatory but only for candidates chosen by the government. These are not elections but loyalty tests. When 100% of people vote for one candidate, the government claims it as proof of its power and popular unity.

Society is divided into three classes: the “core,” who are descendants of revolutionaries loyal to Kim Il-sung; the “wavering,” or middle class with mixed backgrounds; and the “hostile,” considered traitors, often with religious or foreign ties, who are marginalized and given the worst jobs.

Basic utilities like electricity, water, and gas are rationed and tightly monitored. Military service for 10 years starting at age 17 is compulsory for both men and women. Every home must display and regularly clean pictures of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, and mourn their deaths and anniversaries — failure to do so raises suspicion about one’s loyalty.

North Korea even uses its own calendar called the Juche calendar, starting from 1912, the birth year of Kim Il-sung. So the year 2025 corresponds to Juche 113.

The regime’s biggest fear is that if people learn about the outside world, they will rebel. Therefore, media, internet, travel, and information are heavily restricted.

All this information has come from defectors who escaped North Korea after 1953. Even today, accurate information is scarce because of the regime’s intense surveillance and control.