Last modified on September 26, 2018, at 18:50

North Korea and alcoholism

According to tourguide who has been to North Korea more than 100 times, "North Koreans’ main hobby is probably drinking".[1] Leonid A. Petrov, a North Korea expert at Australia National University, indicated "North Korean people tend to drink more and [drink] stronger liquor".[2]

North Korea has state atheism and public religion is actively discouraged.[3] See also: Militant atheism

In the late 1990s and the 2000s it was estimated that North Korea is mostly atheist/agnostic (The religious life that exists is dominated by the religious traditions of Korean shamanism and Chondoism).[4][5][6]

In 2013, The Atlantic reported:

“North Koreans’ main hobby is probably drinking,” says Simon Cockerell, who has visited the country more than 100 times in his capacity as a tourguide for Koryo Tours, which leads trips to the DPRK for foreigners.

“North Korean people tend to drink more and [drink] stronger liquor,” said Leonid A. Petrov, a North Korea expert at Australia National University, who cites the “lower temperatures in winter and bleak lifestyle” as reasons.[7]

See also

References

  1. Getting Drunk in North Korea, The Atlantic by Robert Foyle Hunwick, Sep 4 2013, 9:00 AM ET
  2. Getting Drunk in North Korea, The Atlantic by Robert Foyle Hunwick, Sep 4 2013, 9:00 AM ET
  3. Elizabeth Raum. North Korea. Series: Countries Around the World. Heinemann, 2012. ISBN 1432961330. p. 28
  4. Alton, 2013. p. 79. As of 2005 the agency "Religious Intelligence UK" estimated 3,846,000 believers of Korean shamanism, 3,245,000 Chondoists, 1,082,888 Buddhists, 406,000 Christians, and the remainder are non-believers.
  5. Association of Religion Data Archives: North Korea: Religious Adherents, 2010. Data from the World Christian Database.
  6. The Study of Religion: An Introduction to Key Ideas and Methods by George D. Chryssides and Ron Geaves, August 28, 2007, page 110
  7. Getting Drunk in North Korea, The Atlantic by Robert Foyle Hunwick, Sep 4 2013, 9:00 AM ET