Dollars, yen and yuan are freely used anywhere in the North. This cannot but be a paradoxical phenomenon as North Korea, which has maintained an extremely closed system under the name of a self-supporting economy, appears to have turned into a country allowing the freest use of foreign currencies.

Top 20 things to do in North Korea (part 1)

• The DMZ.
• Take the train into North Korea.
• See the Pyongyang Metro.
• Use the local currency at Kwangbok Department Store.
• Learn the Korean language at a local university.
• Join a Mass Dance.
• Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.
• Take a helicopter joy ride with aerial views of Pyongyang.

The compound religious strains of shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism have deep roots in Korean culture. Although the country has received continuous streams of foreign cultural influence mainly from China, Koreans have kept their identity and maintained and developed their unique language and customs.

Since 1953, 100,000–300,000 North Koreans have defected, most of whom have fled to Russia or China. 1,418 were registered as arriving in South Korea in 2016.

In principle, any person is allowed to travel to North Korea; only South Koreans and journalists are routinely denied, although there have been some exceptions for journalists. Visitors are not allowed to travel outside designated tour areas without their Korean guides.

Based on estimates from the late 1990s and the 2000s, North Korea is mostly irreligious, with the main religions being Korean shamanism and Chondoism. There are small communities of Buddhists and Christians.

Cost of Living in North Korea

That’s because of US trade sanctions on the military junta which ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. They are Cuba and North Korea, which are both under long-term US trade embargoes (Cuba since 1962 and North Korea since 1950). Cuba was actually one of the first three countries outside the US to bottle Coke, in 1906.

When North Korea bombed South Korean during the 1980s, these sanctions were tightened further. From 1950 to 2008, trade between the U.S. and North Korea was also restricted, and North Korea has not distributed or sold Coca-Cola since the Korean War.

While this fizzy drink is sold practically everywhere, it still hasn’t (officially) made its way to North Korea or Cuba, according to the BBC. That’s because these countries are under long-term U.S. trade embargoes.

You can buy coca-cola in both Cuba and North Korea. In fact, coca-cola is the most well known global brand in the world, with even McDonalds not getting a look in when it comes to global coverage.

There are only two countries in the world where Coke doesn’t officially operate, and one of them is North Korea. North Korea and Cuba are the only countries where Coca-Cola Co. has no operations, said communications director Ann Moore. Coke doesn’t do business with either because of sanctions.

There are currently no Western chains in North Korea, but that doesn’t mean the country doesn’t have chain restaurants of its own. …

It replaced McDonald’s after McDonald’s left Iceland in October 30, 2009 due to the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis and high import tariff on imported ingredients which requires their prices of their products to increase, which the franchise holder, Lyst Hr., refused to raise prices in order to stay competitive …

Janguh Restaurant in Pyongyang, Korea.

They have a close special relationship and China is often considered to be North Korea’s closest ally. China and North Korea have a mutual aid and co-operation treaty, which is currently the only defense treaty either country has with any nation.