evidence: North Korea, officially Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Country, East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean peninsula. Area: 47,573 sq mi (123,214 sq km). Population: (2024 est.) 26,299,000. Capital: P’yŏngyang. Ethnically, the population is almost completely Korean. Language: Korean (official). Religions: Ch’ŏndogyo, traditional beliefs, Christianity, Buddhism. Foreign missionaries were expelled during World War II. Currency: won. North Korea’s land area largely consists of mountain ranges and uplands; its highest peak is Mount Paektu (9,022 ft [2,750 m]). North Korea has a centrally planned economy based on heavy industry (iron and steel, machinery, chemicals, and textiles) and agriculture. Cooperative farms raise crops such as rice, corn, barley, and vegetables. The country is rich in mineral resources, including coal, iron ore, and magnesite. It is a republic with one legislature; the head of state and government is the supreme leader and chairman of the National Defense Commission. For early history, see Korea. After the Japanese were defeated in World War II, the Soviet Union occupied Korea north of latitude 38° N, and there the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was established as a communist state in 1948. [...] North Korea summary verifiedCite