Question

what conclusion can you draw about the government's influence on daily life in north korea? PLEASE HELP ASAP! Thanks!

Answer 1

Ok. North Korea, country in East Asia. It occupies the northern portion of the Korean peninsula, which juts out from the Asian mainland between the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and the Yellow Sea; North Korea covers about 55 percent of the peninsula’s land area. The country is bordered by China and Russia to the north and by the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to the south. The national capital, P’yŏngyang, is a major industrial and transport centre near the west coast. North Korea faces South Korea across a demilitarized zone (DMZ) 2.5 miles (4 km) wide that was established by the terms of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950–53). The DMZ, which runs for about 150 miles (240 km), constitutes the 1953 military cease-fire line and roughly follows latitude 38° N (the 38th parallel) from the mouth of the Han River on the west coast of the Korean peninsula to a little south of the North Korean town of Kosŏng on the east coast. Mountains and valleys characterize most of North Korea. The Kaema Highlands in the northeast have an average elevation of 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) above sea level and form the topographic roof of the entire Korean peninsula. Mount Paektu (9,022 feet [2,750 metres]), the highest mountain in North Korea and on the peninsula, rises at the northern edge of this plateau in the Changbaek (Changbai) Mountains along the Sino-Korean border; it is an extinct volcano topped by a large crater lake. The Nangnim Mountains run from north to south through the middle of the country, forming a divide between the eastern and western slopes of the peninsula. The Kangnam and Myohyang ranges and Mounts Ŏnjin and Myŏrak, all structural extensions of the Nangnim Mountains, extend parallel to each other toward the southwest. Large river-valley plains have developed between the western mountains; they merge along the narrow, irregular coastal plain on the west coast. The Hamgyŏng Mountains, extending from the Nangnim Mountains to the northeast, form a steep slope between the Kaema Highlands and the East Sea. The T’aebaek Mountains extend from southeastern North Korea into South Korea along the eastern coast; one peak, Mount Kŭmgang (5,374 feet [1,638 metres]), is renowned for its scenic beauty.
http://www.britannica.com/place/North-Korea


There is a popular saying, "Wherever there is oppression, there is resistance". This oft-quoted statement might sound lofty and uplifting, but, alas, it is patently false. As experience of the 20th century politics demonstrates well, it is quite possible to organise a state in a way that precludes the existence of any visible resistance - at least, for a long, long time. A good example of such a resistance-less regime is the Soviet Union at the height of Joseph Stalin's rule, from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s. While the government was highly repressive and executed about one million real and alleged political criminals (not including the many who perished in prison camps), the Soviet Union of this period saw no organised resistance to speak of - the uprising of the national minorities on the distant periphery was the only exception. Many were unhappy, but they were seldom willing to express their hostile attitude to the state.
The same is applicable to North Korea. It might be the only country in the modern world in which there is no domestic political opposition whatsoever. Not a single dissenter, let alone an opposition group, is known to exist inside North Korea - even though quite discontent seems to be on the rise in recent years. How did the hereditary dictatorship of the Kim family, in control since early 1946, manage to achieve this? How do they keep their people so passive and so obedient? It is often assumed that the main reason for this obedience is the relentless application of political terror, ie the government's ability (and willingness) to imprison, torture and/or shoot every and any opponent of the regime. Things are not that simple, however. There is little doubt that political terror plays a significant role in maintaining the internal political stability of the Kim dynasty. North Korea has the highest ratio of political prisoners. Around 80,000-100,000 North Koreans are incarcerated for political crimes. The number of political prisoners as a proportion of the population is roughly similar to that of the Soviet Union in the twilight of Stalin’s rule - and well above the level we can see in any other modern dictatorship.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/04/daily-life-north-korea-201442354925200498.html

hope this helps :)