North Korea disappears at night. South Korea appears to be an island, disconnected from the Asian continent with North Korea appearing virtually as dark as the sea. I was going to claim this was the result of the North Korean government’s policies and their resulting extreme poverty, but fortunately, I found this first:

17. I hear that North Koreans are very poor. Is this true?
By international standards, DPRK citizens enjoy a very high standard of living. In Socialist Korea, the state guarantees all citizens the right to quality healthcare, education, stipends for the disabled, retirement pensions and access to recreational facilities, as well as a wide array of other state-supported services. Indeed, DPRK citizens are guaranteed many provisions that are uncommon in many developed capitalist societies, which are home to real poverty. Unlike in many countries of the capitalist world, the DPRK is a state free of homelessness, unemployment, prostitution and starvation. (Source)

Thanks, DPRK FAQ! How soon will the KFA shop offer signed photographs of Leader Kim Jong IL? ;-) /sarcasm