Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) is located between China and South Korea and is one of the last communist states in the world. The state is operated by one party, the Korean Workers' Party. The governing ideology of the state is Juche-Sasang (the idea of self-reliance developed by Kim Il Sung). Owing to its severe centralized political regime and the eradication of religion in its history, it is believed that no religious groups remain in North Korea. Since 1988, however, North Korea has changed its religious policy and allowed religious groups to [Page 671]have their places and practices of worship. Even after this change of religious policy, there is no consensus of opinion on the existence of religion in North Korea: ...