North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea (Republic of Korea) to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea claimed to be the sole legitimate government of the Korean Peninsula and adjacent islands until 2024, when it abandoned the Korean unification plan and designated South Korea as a hostile country. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city.
The Korean Peninsula was first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period.