North Korea is one of the last Stalinist regimes, and its people have been totally isolated from the outside world by almost 60 years of dictatorial rule.

The state was founded in 1945 by President Kim il-Sung after the ending of Japanese colonial rule. The country was divided into North Korea and South Korea at the end of the second World War. The bitter Korean War between 1950 and 1953 never officially ended, and is still in truce.

The two Koreas are divided by the DMZ, or demilitarised zone. The border has the heaviest military population in the world, with a total of two million soldiers on each side.

President Kim il-Sung, known as "The Great Leader", died suddenly in 1994 and was replaced by his son, Kim Jong-il, known as "The Dear Leader".

Kim il-Sung promoted the Juche ideology of self-reliance. After decades of mismanagement, North Korea now relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population. But at the same time it continues to expand its army, the fifth-largest in the world.

Its long-range missile development and research into nuclear and chemical weapons are of major concern to world leaders.

Last year the South Korean leader, Mr Kim Dae Sung, won a Nobel peace prize for promoting his "sunshine policy" of reunification. A historic summit between both leaders was held in Pyongyang last June, and another is promised for Seoul.

The North Korean population of 22 million is exposed to virtually nothing from the West, yet stories abound of Kim Jong-il's taste for foreign cigarettes, French cognac, dancing girls and designer clothes.

Last week it was reported he had imported two Italian chefs to prepare pizza at the height of the country's famine in 1998.

While no foreign TV, books or newspapers are allowed, the short, squeaky-voiced leader has installed satellite television for himself and is a keen viewer.

His son was arrested in Japan on Tuesday with a false passport, claiming he was bringing his four-year-old son to Tokyo Disneyland. He is tipped to be the third-generation Kim to lead the country.

Meanwhile, North Korea continues to fight a food crisis - a story that has gone largely unreported as the world media are rarely allowed into the country. When they are, they are strictly monitored.