Ridiculous History The Ridiculously Disturbing History of North Korea
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Oct 7, 2025 Explore the bizarre origins of North Korea, the so-called "Hermit Kingdom." Discover how the country split post-World War II and its strategic importance to China and the U.S. Unpack the cult of personality surrounding Kim Il-sung and the role of Juche ideology. Delve into the grim realities of human rights abuses, political prison camps, and harsh penalties for dissent. Learn what it's like to visit under strict state control and how the DMZ has unexpectedly become a wildlife refuge.
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Partition Led To Perpetual Cold War
- The Korean Peninsula split after WWII into Soviet and American spheres led quickly to two rival states claiming the whole territory.
- That unresolved division escalated into the Korean War and a continuing armistice with no peace treaty.
Juche Transformed Communism Into Nationalism
- North Korea adopted a centralized, Soviet‑style economy but fused it with fierce Korean nationalism under Kim Il‑sung.
- Juche reframed self‑reliance into a state ideology that justified isolation and leader worship.
Fall of Soviet Support Sparked Collapse
- Soviet and Chinese support propped up North Korea until the USSR's collapse, after which the DPRK's economy imploded.
- The loss of subsidies triggered famine, desperation, and harsher internal control measures.