1. People’s Democratic Republic of Korea

3. Democracy? Algeria People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria 117/167
Authoritarian regime
DR Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
162/167
East Timor
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
46/167
Flawed democracy
Ethiopia
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
124/167
Laos
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
157/167
North Korea
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
167/167
Nepal
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
105/167
Hybrid regime
São Tomé and Príncipe
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
N/A
Sri Lanka
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
87/167
Western Sahara
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

4. UN action by 16 countries to liberate S. Korea
Conflict ended with an armistice, but an official treaty ending the war has not been signed.

5. 1984 (Published 1948)

6. The Kim Dynasty
Kim Il Sung (Founder) Revered as a god and not believed to actually be dead
Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong Un (Current leader)

7. The US plays a central role in regime propaganda
N. Koreans are taught that attack from the US is ever present, and only the regime can protect the people.
The US started the war, and has since enslaved S. Korea
The image of a persistent threat gives the regime legitimacy

9. A workers Paradise?

10. Ten Principles
We must give our all in the struggle to unify the entire society with the revolutionary ideology of the Great Leader Kim Il-sung.
We must honor the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung with all our loyalty.
We must make absolute the authority of the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung.
We must make the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung's revolutionary ideology our faith and make his instructions our creed.
We must adhere strictly to the principle of unconditional obedience in carrying out the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung's instructions.
We must strengthen the entire party's ideology and willpower and revolutionary unity, centering on the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung.

11. We must learn from the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung and adopt the communist look, revolutionary work methods and people-oriented work style.
We must value the political life we were given by the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung, and loyally repay his great political trust and thoughtfulness with heightened political awareness and skill.
We must establish strong organizational regulations so that the entire party, nation and military move as one under the one and only leadership of the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung.
We must pass down the great achievement of the revolution by the Great Leader comrade Kim Il-sung from generation to generation, inheriting and completing it to the end.

13. Elections Supreme People’s Assembly (Parliament) held every 4 years
There are three parties all a part of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland
All candidates are members of the DFRF
Candidates are nominated by the parties and approves by the Central Electoral Committee
Only one candidate appears on the ballot
It is a secret ballot in theory, unless you choose not to vote for the candidate on the ballot, then it must be open
The Assembly has no legislative powers

14. Life in Pyongyang

15. 6:00, wake up, breakfast
7:30, read government reports
8:00, work begins
12:00 lunch
17:00 Work ends, self criticism and employee criticism sessions
20:00 sleep
Frequent power cuts. Tall buildings have no, few or dysfunctional elevators. Propaganda boxes cannot be turned off

18. Rural Life Areas outside of Pyongyang are more impoverished
Lack of clean drinking water, electricity
Tied to agricultural production quotas which are difficult to meet

19. Political Dissent
Low level dissent has come in the form of mild criticism, attempts to access the outside world, and the emergence of private markets.
Before Kim Jong Un took power, moderate dissent began to emerge from the country’s elite
After he took power, he executed his uncle Jang Song-thaek, second in command of the country, by use of an anti-aircraft gun.
Other high ranking officials have been disposed of

20. The Outside World: Communications
Only specially selected government officials can access the internet.
Kwangmyong, which includes an server, search engine, a number of user-created websites that are closely monitored by the government, and some filtered content from the outside Web. Few people own a computer
20,000 people own mobile phones
To have a land line phone you must make a special request. Calls are monitored.

21. Hostile Acts! Criticizing the government
Using a phone to receive or make calls outside of the country
Attempting to leave the country
Engaging with foreigners
Possession of Western or Korean, films, music
Accessing the internet
Having and unapproved haircut

23. Failing to have a portrait of the Leader in your home or failing to keep it clean
Not being sufficiently sad when political leaders die
Not being sufficiently supportive of a leader’s speech

24. Labor Camps Hard labor from 6:00 – 20:00
Torture, rape, starvation, execution
Up to three generations of a family can be imprisoned for one person’s actions

25. Is North Korea a Democratic Republic?

26. Not really