Kim Jong Il
National Defense Commission Chairman

(pronounced "kim zhong EEL")

"Ideology, technology, and culture—all according to the demands of juche [self-reliance]."

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is located on the northern half of the Korean peninsula. It is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and South Korea to the southeast. The 38th Parallel has divided North and South Korea since the end of the Korean War (1953).

The total area is 120,540 sq km (46,540 sq mi), and the population was estimated at 22.2 million in 2002. The population is ethnically homogeneous, and the official language is Korean. The state is officially atheist. The capital and largest city is Pyongyang (2.7 million), with Chongjin and Kaesong being the other major cities.

The Soviet...