Korea, North

North Korea, although nominally a republic governed by a representative assembly, is actually ruled by the Communist party (known in Korea as the Korea Workers' party).
North Korea maintained close relations with the Soviet Union and China (military aid treaties were signed with both countries in 1961) but preserved a degree of independence; the Sino-Soviet rift facilitated this.
North Korea launched a medium-range missile over Japan in 1998; in 1999, the United States agreed to ease trade sanctions against the country in exchange for North Korea's agreement to suspend its missile testing.
North Korea, officially Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, country in northeastern Asia that occupies the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea is bounded on the north by China, on the northeast by Russia, on the east by the East Sea (Sea of Japan), on the south by South Korea, and on the west by the Yellow Sea.
The state of North Korea was established in 1948 as a result of the Soviet military occupation of the northern portion of the peninsula after World War II.
North Korea claims to possess nuclear weapons, and it is widely believed to have a substantial arsenal of chemical weapons (deliverable by artillery against South Korea).
North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003 after not receiving the promised light water reactors which were going to be delivered by the United States of America in exchange for North Korea not developing their own power plants.
North Korea could be seen as a threat to the region, the U.S. established the "Six Party Talks", inviting North Korea to join the United States, China, Russia, Japan, and South Korea.
North Korea is often referred to by Western media sources as a Stalinist, isolationist, and authoritarian country; it uses central planning to implement its economic and social policies.