Korean legend places the founding of the first Korean kingdom at 2333 BCE when Dangun established Gojoseon on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Archaeological evidence confirms organized settlements in this region by at least the first millennium BCE. The Goguryeo kingdom, founded in 37 BCE by King Tongmyong, controlled much of present-day North Korea and parts of Manchuria for nearly seven centuries. The Koguryo Tombs Complex near Pyongyang contains over 10,000 tombs from this period, with several dozen displaying elaborate wall paintings depicting daily life, mythology, and the afterlife. UNESCO inscribed these tombs as a World Heritage Site in 2004. The kingdom of Balhae succeeded Goguryeo in 698 CE and lasted until 926 CE, controlling the northern peninsula and areas of Manchuria. The Goryeo dynasty unified the peninsula in 935 CE and ruled until 1392 CE, giving Korea its English name. The Joseon dynasty then governed the entire peninsula from 1392 until Japanese annexation in 1910.
Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910 after years of increasing control. The colonial period lasted until Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945. Korean resistance groups operated throughout this period, including communist and nationalist factions based in China and the Soviet Union. Kim Il-sung joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1931 and led Korean guerrilla units fighting Japanese forces in Manchuria during the 1930s. Soviet records confirm his participation in these operations, though the extent claimed by North Korean historiography exceeds what external sources verify. When Japan surrendered, Soviet forces occupied the Korean Peninsula north of the 38th parallel while American forces occupied the south. This division, intended as temporary, became permanent when the two zones established separate governments in 1948. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was proclaimed on September 9, 1948, with Kim Il-sung as premier. The Republic of Korea was established in the south weeks earlier on August 15, 1948.
North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950, beginning the Korean War. The North Korean People's Army pushed south rapidly, capturing Seoul within days and controlling most of the peninsula by August 1950. United Nations forces, primarily American, landed at Incheon in September 1950 and drove north, reaching the Yalu River border with China by November. Chinese forces then entered the war, pushing UN forces back south. The front stabilized near the original division line by 1951. Fighting continued with no decisive breakthrough until an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953. No peace treaty has been concluded. Casualty figures remain disputed, but generally accepted estimates place military deaths at approximately 500,000 for North Korea and China combined, 37,000 for the United States, and 58,000 for South Korea. Civilian deaths in North Korea likely exceeded one million. The war destroyed most of North Korea's infrastructure, with American bombing campaigns targeting industrial facilities, dams, and cities. Pyongyang was largely flattened.
Kim Il-sung consolidated power through the 1950s and 1960s, eliminating rival factions within the Workers' Party of Korea. He developed the Juche ideology, officially defined as self-reliance in politics, economics, and defense. The ideology became state doctrine and remains the official governing philosophy. Kim Il-sung ruled until his death on July 8, 1994. His son Kim Jong-il had been designated successor during the 1980s and assumed control after a three-year mourning period, taking the title of General Secretary in 1997. The constitution was revised in 1998 to designate Kim Il-sung as Eternal President, leaving the presidency permanently vacant. Kim Jong-il ruled until his death on December 17, 2011. His son Kim Jong-un was announced as successor and took control of the military, party, and state. Kim Jong-un holds the titles of Supreme Leader, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission.
The political system grants the Workers' Party of Korea a constitutional monopoly on power. Two smaller parties exist—the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party—but operate under Workers' Party control and hold no independent authority. The Supreme People's Assembly serves as the legislature with 687 deputies elected to five-year terms, but elections offer only pre-approved candidates. Voter turnout is reported at 99.9 percent with near-unanimous approval. The State Affairs Commission holds executive power with Kim Jong-un as chairman. All media outlets are state-owned and operated. The Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Workers' Party controls all published and broadcast content. Internet access exists for a tiny fraction of the population, primarily researchers and officials, while a domestic intranet called Kwangmyong provides controlled content to some institutions. Foreign publications and broadcasts are prohibited.