Study in North Korea

North Korea can be quite the illuminating place for study abroad students. Here you can find historic temples, ancient landmarks, and a lot of other sites.

Studying in North Korea could be the ideal choice for students seeking to explore international educational opportunities and a new and unique environment.

Education in NORTH KOREA

Education in North Korea is universal and mostly state-funded. The self-reported national literacy rate for citizens at age of 15 and older is 100 percent. Children are required to complete four years of primary education, six years of secondary education, and then on to university.

There are several Institutions of higher education including colleges, universities, and teachers' training colleges. Teaching students go through a four-year course for preparing kindergarten, primary, and secondary instructors.

Colleges of advanced technology offer two or three-year courses, medical schools offer six-year courses, special colleges for science and engineering, art, music, and foreign languages. The adult literacy rate in North Korea is reported at 100% according to the Government statistics.

Important things to note

Here are a few things to take note of before you go out and about in North Korea.

Money- The unit of currency is the North Korean won (KPW). Visitors can pay for everything with euros, Chinese RMB or US dollars, which are accepted. The Japanese yen may also be accepted in some places.

Bank/ Credit Cards- Credit cards are completely unacceptable everywhere in the country, so bring as much cash as you’ll need, with some leeway for any unexpected expenses. it’s officially illegal to take the Korean Won out of the country.

Travellers’ cheques- these are not usable anywhere in North Korea and there are no ATMs linked to international networks anywhere in the country.

Communication- Now foreigners are allowed to bring qualifying phones into the country and purchase a sim card for use in North Korea, or rent a handset with a sim card that allows them to call most foreign countries,

Medical Requirements- Some routine vaccination are recommended or required for North Korea. The National Travel Health Network and Centre in North Korea and WHO recommend the following vaccinations: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tetanus. An antimalarial prescription may be recommended based on the traveller’s destination and itinerary.

About North Korea

North Korea or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a country in East Asia. The country is bordered by China to the north and by Russia along the Amnok (Yalu) and Tumen rivers, and by South Korea to the south, with the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone separating the two countries.

Pyongyang is the country's capital and largest city. It has an estimated total area of 120,540 km2. The population as of 2019 was estimated at 25 727 000, with a population density of 212 people per square kilometre. Its urban- rural ratio as of 2018 is as follows: Urban-61.9% and Rural- 38.1%

Ethnic groups

North Korea Korean is one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries in the world, with the exception of a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese. More than 98% of the population are indigenous to the country. The country heavily regulates immigration and thus there is very little racial or ethnic diversity.

Languages

The Korean language is the official and national language of North Korea, as well as South Korea. The English name "Korean" has its origins in Goryeo, which is believed to be the very first Korean dynasty acknowledged by Western nations. North Korea shares the Korean language with South Korea, although some dialectal differences exist. There are variations in the Korean dialects as shown below:

Pyongyang Dialect

The Pyongyang dialect is the Korean variant spoken in the northwestern Korean Peninsula, as well as some neighboring Chinese regions. This dialect has influenced the Standard Korean used in North Korea. This dialect is widespread in Pyongyang in North Korea, and the Chinese province of Liaoning.

Gyeonggi Dialect

This dialect is regarded as the most prestigious variant of all Korean dialects. In North Korea, this dialect is common in the city Kaesong, as well as Changping and Kaepung counties.

Munhwao Dialect

The Munhwao dialect serves as the standard version of Korean spoken in North Korea. It was embraced as the standard language in 1966.

Did you know? Facts about NORTH KOREA

• North Korea has no taxes

• Kim Il-sung was born on April 15, 1912 - the day the Titanic sank.

• North Korea is one of the world’s leading exporters of seafood.

• there are several wind powered buildings in north korea

Did you know? Facts about NORTH KOREA

• North Korea has no taxes

• Kim Il-sung was born on April 15, 1912 - the day the Titanic sank.

• North Korea is one of the world’s leading exporters of seafood.

• there are several wind powered buildings in north korea

• an entire north korean city was built by east germans

• North Korea says it has a 100% literacy rate.

Must see places in NORTH KOREA

The Pyongyang Metro- Pyongyang is the capital city and the biggest city in North Korea. the Pyongyang Metro is an underground incredulous transport network that consists two lines. The underground grid serves a dual purpose and is not only designed for transportation purposes but it is also a nuclear bunker.

The Juche Tower- this is a tall magnificent monument. It is an imposing tower representing the political ideologies that were introduced by Kim II-Sung. the tower allows tourists to see much of Pyongyang from a vantage point.

The Mangyongdae Children’s Palace- This is a hub for all kinds of extracurricular activities performed by the children and youth of North Korea, from gymnastics, to music, martial arts experts, and other assorted fields.

The Paektu Mountain and the Changbai Range- this is a 9003 foot active volcanic mountain located at the border of North Korea and China. it is the highest mountain in the Changbai Range. At the top of this awe-inspiring mountain there is a large crater lake called the Paekdusan Lake.

The lake has significant mythical importance for the North Koreans and it is even considering as the country’s spiritual home. a natural spring called the Baekdu Spa flows from the Paektu Mountain.

The Myohyang- this is a mountain regarded as a sacred ground as it is said to be the home of King Tahun, the ancestor of all Korean people. There are all kinds of mystic shapes and strange fragrances around the mountain.

Here you can also enjoy hiking and visiting sites such as the Pohyon temple, the Kumgang hermitage, the Ryongmun cavern, and the Sangwon hermitage.

About North Korea's Economy

The currency used in North Korea id the North Korean Won (KPW). North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has an isolated and tightly controlled command economy which is the standard component of any communist country.

North Korea’s economy is centrally planned and coordinated by the government. The government of North Korea determines what goods should be produced, how much should be produced, and the price at which the goods are to be sold.

North Korea’s Nominal GDP was $28.5 billion as of 2016, with a per capita of $1,300, and GDP (PPP) was estimated at $40 billion, with a per capita of $1,700. GDP growth went down by 4.1% as of 2018.

Total employment as of 2019 was at 6,503,176, showing a 78.2% employment rate.

GDP contribution by sector was as follows as of 2017:

• Agriculture- 22.5%

• Industry- 47.6%

• Services- 29.9%

Industry

Industry in North Korea includes manufacture of military products, machine building, electric power, chemicals; Mining of coal, iron ore, limestone, magnetite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals, metallurgy, textiles, food processing, and tourism

Trade

Exports in North Korea were estimated at $222 million as of 2018. Export goods include minerals, metallurgical products, manufactured products, armaments, textiles, agricultural and fishery products to mention but a few. Main export partners as of 2018 included China with 62.5%, Saudi Arabia with 2.47%, Pakistan with 2.47%, India with 1.43% of exports.

Its imports were valued at $2.32 billion as of 2018. Imported products included petroleum, coking coal, machinery, equipment, textiles, and grain. It main trading partners for the same period included China 95.7%, Russia 1.38%, India1.35%, Brazil 0.31%, to mention but a few.

Today, China is North Korea’s main trading partner and the country relies on China for both economic and diplomatic assistance.

Why Study in North Korea

Unique Cuisines

North Korea offers some of the best recipes in the world. This offers students an opportunity to test the best meals and new dishes.

Opportunity to learn new languages

studying in North Korea gives students a chance to learn Korean and the various dialects that come with it.

Interaction with other international students

North Korea is a great place that allows students to meet and interact with other students of different nationalities.

Site Seeing

There are various cultural heritage sites, museums, ancient temples, mountain ranges and monuments to see in North Korea. Studying in the country provides students with an opportunity to visit and embrace the beauty of North Korea.

Scholarships in North Korea

There are plenty of scholarships are available for international students intending to study in North Korea. Below are some of the international scholarships for students to study abroad.

North Korea Student Visa

Visitors to North Korea must obtain a visa in advance from any of the North Korean diplomatic missions. All visitors holding ordinary passports except those from South Korea must obtain a visa before to entering North Korea.

All visitors except those from South Korea who travel to North Korea for tourism purposes require prior authorization from a travel agency registered with the State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance.

Tourist visas in North Korean are issued in the form of a tourist card for tourists, or on a separate paper for other types of visas and No stamps are stamped inside one's actual passport.