The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), also known as North Korea, is a country in East Asia. It occupies the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The country is highly centralized and is considered a totalitarian state. The Workers Party of Korea is the ruling party of North Korea and leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea, the sole legal political movement in the country. According to Article 3 of the constitution, Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the official ideology of North Korea. The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms. Most services, such as healthcare, education, housing, and food production, are subsidized or state-funded.

North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world. The countrys human rights record is intimately linked to its weapons program, which benefits from forced labor and contributes to widespread poverty and hunger. The countrys economy is committed to an independent economy based on domestic raw materials, technology, and management. The essential elements of sustainable human development are in place in North Korea, including an advanced educational system and abundant water resources. However, water resources have diminished in recent years due to severe droughts, floods, and destruction of forests as a result of climate change.

The country is led by the Kim family, with Kim Jong Un currently serving as the Chairman of the Workers Party of Korea. The most recent national elections, held in 2014, were neither free nor fair. The countrys human rights record is poor, with crimes against humanity being committed by state authorities against North Korean civilians. The government took no credible steps to prosecute officials who committed human rights abuses, and impunity continued to be a widespread problem.