Customs & Traditions
-Male Dominated Society
Koreans believe in family, community and society. The father is the head of the family. Women aren't supposed to get involved in decision making, but that is changing over time as women start to emerge as leaders, business executives and teachers.
-Confucius and His Teachings in North Korea
Confucius and his teachings have a deep impact on Koreans and that's why they believe in:
duty, loyalty, honor, sincerity, reciprocating and following protocols while meeting, eating, praying and even celebrating. The father must take care of the health, shelter, food and marriage of his family members.
Bowing is just like the handshake in Korean culture. The younger generations have blended the western culture with their native culture by shaking hands after bowing to each other.
-Gifts to Family and Friends
Koreans like to stay in touch with their friends and family. Gifts have remained
an important part of their culture. The quantity or numbers also add value to your gifts;
seven is considered as a lucky number so anything in multiples of seven will be
accepted heartily. However, they avoid giving anything that falls in the
multiple value of four because Koreans consider four as an unlucky number. Red,
yellow and pink colors represent happiness and prosperity in the Korean culture.
The use of white, black or green colors for wrapping is offensive and must be
avoided.
-Dining Rules
Dining and eating means following a strict protocol. No indoor farewells, the removal of shoes before entering the house or dining room, and most importantly, only male hosts will serve the drinks.
-Buddhism
Buddhism is the main religion in Korea and its teachings reflect in Korean lifestyle, culture and arts. Numerous Buddhist statues, monuments and temples have been included in the National Treasure and Monument
list by the government.
-Pottery and Ceramics
Korean culture is incomplete without pottery and ceramics. Pottery is Korea's
cultural emblem and it started hundreds of years ago. Today, celadon, a
Korean blue-glazed pottery, is famous all over the world. This pottery style was
passed on to the Japanese by the Koreans.
-Marriage
A Korean marriage does not mean the union of two individuals
only, but also the unification of two families and two different lifestyles.
Matchmaking with the help of matchmakers, wedding parade on a
pony, bowing to the members of family, couple drinking from
the same cup and bridal procession are major rituals of a traditional Korean marriage.
-Clothing
Traditional clothes are the pride of the Korean people. Hanbok is
the name given to traditional Korean attire. It is worn in marriage ceremonies,
family functions and traditional festivals. It is also the official government
and national dress in Korea. People of all ages wear it with pride because it is
one of the emblems of their cultural identity.
Koreans believe in family, community and society. The father is the head of the family. Women aren't supposed to get involved in decision making, but that is changing over time as women start to emerge as leaders, business executives and teachers.
-Confucius and His Teachings in North Korea
Confucius and his teachings have a deep impact on Koreans and that's why they believe in:
duty, loyalty, honor, sincerity, reciprocating and following protocols while meeting, eating, praying and even celebrating. The father must take care of the health, shelter, food and marriage of his family members.
Bowing is just like the handshake in Korean culture. The younger generations have blended the western culture with their native culture by shaking hands after bowing to each other.
-Gifts to Family and Friends
Koreans like to stay in touch with their friends and family. Gifts have remained
an important part of their culture. The quantity or numbers also add value to your gifts;
seven is considered as a lucky number so anything in multiples of seven will be
accepted heartily. However, they avoid giving anything that falls in the
multiple value of four because Koreans consider four as an unlucky number. Red,
yellow and pink colors represent happiness and prosperity in the Korean culture.
The use of white, black or green colors for wrapping is offensive and must be
avoided.
-Dining Rules
Dining and eating means following a strict protocol. No indoor farewells, the removal of shoes before entering the house or dining room, and most importantly, only male hosts will serve the drinks.
-Buddhism
Buddhism is the main religion in Korea and its teachings reflect in Korean lifestyle, culture and arts. Numerous Buddhist statues, monuments and temples have been included in the National Treasure and Monument
list by the government.
-Pottery and Ceramics
Korean culture is incomplete without pottery and ceramics. Pottery is Korea's
cultural emblem and it started hundreds of years ago. Today, celadon, a
Korean blue-glazed pottery, is famous all over the world. This pottery style was
passed on to the Japanese by the Koreans.
-Marriage
A Korean marriage does not mean the union of two individuals
only, but also the unification of two families and two different lifestyles.
Matchmaking with the help of matchmakers, wedding parade on a
pony, bowing to the members of family, couple drinking from
the same cup and bridal procession are major rituals of a traditional Korean marriage.
-Clothing
Traditional clothes are the pride of the Korean people. Hanbok is
the name given to traditional Korean attire. It is worn in marriage ceremonies,
family functions and traditional festivals. It is also the official government
and national dress in Korea. People of all ages wear it with pride because it is
one of the emblems of their cultural identity.
Physical Features
-Has hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys
-Yalu and Tumen rivers separate North Korea from China.
-The area around Pakistan along with the Chinese North Korean border is mainly a volcanic belt with lava plateau's scattered around, situated at a height of 1,400 and 2,000 meters above sea level.
-The North Eastern part of the Korean penninsula is filled with high mountain peaks.
-Yalu and Tumen rivers separate North Korea from China.
-The area around Pakistan along with the Chinese North Korean border is mainly a volcanic belt with lava plateau's scattered around, situated at a height of 1,400 and 2,000 meters above sea level.
-The North Eastern part of the Korean penninsula is filled with high mountain peaks.
Political area
-The largest city is Pyongyang, with a reported 3.3 million inhabitants in 2005.
-Other major cities based on population size are Nampo, Hamhang, Chingjin, Kaesing, Sinyiju, and Wansan (all with populations of more than 300,000).
-Other major cities based on population size are Nampo, Hamhang, Chingjin, Kaesing, Sinyiju, and Wansan (all with populations of more than 300,000).