North Korea borders China , Russia , and South Korea . North Korea occupies the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula , lying between latitudes 37 Â and 43 Â N , and longitudes 124 Â and 131 Â E. It covers an area of 120540 k. North Korea shares land borders with People 's Republic of China and Russia to the north , and borders South Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone . To its west are the Yellow Sea and Korea Bay , and to its east lies Japan across the Sea of Japan ( East Sea of Korea ) .