7. North Koreans can choose from only 28 Approved Haircuts
North Koreans can only select from 28 approved haircuts. This is from the communist dictator Kim Jong Un. While men are allowed to choose from 28 approved haircuts, women are only allowed to choose from 14 hairstyles. Men in North Korea are forbidden to grow their hair longer than 2 inches.
6. Has their Own OS called Red Star OS
North Korea has an indigenous Operating System, known as the Red Star OS. Korean Computer Center started the development of the Linux-based OS in the year 2002. Prior to Red Star OS, North Korea used the English version of the Microsoft Windows Operating System.
5. North Korea Uses Human Feces as Fertilizers
In North Korea, fertilizers are made by mixing human excreta due to a shortage of chemical fertilizers. North Korea had ordered every person in the country to produce kilograms of human feces as fertilizers. Hence, human feces mixed with straw are sold in shops in North Korea as fertilizers.
4. Blue Jeans are Illegal in North Korea
The weirdness of North Korea doesn’t stop here, wearing blue jeans is illegal. North Korea’s law system is way too strict and harsh to its people. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il feels, blue denim signifies a “symbol of American imperialism”. Hence, in North Korea jeans are made in black.
3. Three Generation Punishment Rule
In the remotest part of North Korea, there are up to 200,000 prisoners held captive in the Kaechon internment camp. Also known by the name Camp 14, is a detention center where people who commit crime are sent there. A person who commits simple or small crimes is sent to this prison along with the person’s entire family for the next three generations.
That means, the person and family of three generations are born, live, and die there. The prisoners are known to undergo heinous tortures, given dangerous works to do, and even children are made to work in hardships. People are punished for the crimes their grandfathers have committed is something weird.
2. Only Country to currently have a U.S Navy Ship Captured
U.S Army is the world’s best and strongest; capturing its navy ship is something strange. We do not understand how the U.S.A has let such a small country capture its navy ship? USS Pueblo (AGER-2) – an American Signals intelligence and electronic intelligence navy ship was attacked and captured by North Korea in the year 1968, known as the Pueblo incident.
1. Cannabis is Legal in North Korea
Though North Korea may not be the freest country in the world, cannabis is legal here. Possession, transport, cultivation, and sales of cannabis like Marijuana are legal in North Korea. In fact, cannabis is not even considered a drug in North Korea, especially Marijuana. The country has no taboo around pot smoking and the drug known locally as “ip tambae” or “leaf tobacco” is famous among the North Korean military.
There are more such interesting facts like the North Korean black market for candies and an American soldier who has been living in North Korea since 1962 when he ran across the border from South Korea.