North Korean Law in Translation

The following is an up-to-date list of North Korean laws currently available in English. The Center assumes no responsibility for their content.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Administrative Penalties Law (2004, 2008) [KOREAN—automatic translation]
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Immigration Law (1995, 2012)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Land Law (1977)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Land Lease Law (1993, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Software Industry Law (2004) [KOREAN—automatic translation]
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Telecommunication Act (1997, 2001) [KOREAN—automatic translation]
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
 

CIVIL & COMMERCIAL LAW

Civil Procedure Law (1976, 2009)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Damage Compensation Law (2001, 2005)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

External Civil Relations Law (1995, 1998)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Nationality Law
Refworld (United Nations)

Notary Public Law (2004)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Protection of Handicapped People Law (2003)
The Central Committee of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled

Succession Law (2002) 
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
 

CONSTITUTION

Socialist Constitution of the DPRK (1972, 2013)
The Committee for Human rights in North Korea (HRNK)
 

CRIMINAL LAW

Criminal Code (1950, 2009)
The Committee for Human rights in North Korea (HRNK)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) [KOREAN—automatic translation]

Criminal Procedures Code (1950, 2006)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) [KOREAN—automatic translation]
 

ENVIRONMENTAL & AGRICULTURAL LAW

Decree No. 290 on Agricultural Law (1998)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Environmental Impact Assessment Law (2005, 2007)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Environmental Protection Law (1986)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Forest Law (1992, 2001)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Rivers Law (2002, 2004)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Seawater Pollution Prevention Law (1997, 1999)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Water Resources Law (1997, 1999)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)
 

FINANCIAL & MONETARY LAW

Commercial Bank Law (2006)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Foreign Exchange Control Law (1993, 2004)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Insurance Law (1995, 2008)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Money Laundering Prevention Law (2006)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
 

FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAW

Accounting Law for Foreign-Invested Businesses (2006, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Bankruptcy Law for Foreign-Invested Enterprises (2000, 2011) 
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Contractual Joint Venture Law (1992, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
[HTML (DPRK translation)]

Equity Joint Venture Law (1984, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
[HTML (DPRK translation)]

Foreign Enterprise Law (1992)
International Labour Organization (ILO)

Foreign-Invested Banks Law (1993, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Foreign Investment Law (1992, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Financial Management of Foreign Invested Enterprises Law (2008, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Labor Law for Foreign-Invested Enterprises (2009, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Registration of Foreign Owned Businesses Law (2006, 2011) 
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Taxation Law for Foreign-Invested Enterprises and Foreign Individuals (1993, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law (1992, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
[HTML (DPRK translation)]

FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAW—SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES

Economic Development Parks Law (2013)
Naenara [DPRK translation]

Hwanggumphyong and Wihwado Economic Zone Law (2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
[HTML (DPRK translation)]

Law on the Mt. Kumgang Special Zone for International Tourism (2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Rason Economic and Trade Zone Law (1993, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
[HTML (DPRK translation)]

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

Copyright Law (2001, 2006)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Industrial Designs Law (1998, 2011)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Invention Law (1998, 1999)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Name of Origin Law (2003)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Protection of Computer Software Law (2003)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]

Trademark Law (1998, 2011) 
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
 

LAW OF THE SEA

Economic Zone Decree (1977)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Fisheries Act (1999)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Legal Office)

Seawater Pollution Prevention Law (1997, 1999)
Kimchi Law Blog [DPRK translation]
 

TREATIES (DPRK Member Lists)

UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub
Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) & Investment Related Instruments (IRIs)

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
WIPO-administered treaties plus UPOV, WTO and UN

North Korea in the World
International & Multilateral Agreements the DPRK is a party
 

ANALYSES OF DPRK LAW (ENGLISH)

“DPRK: Children’s Right References in the Universal Periodic Review”
Child Rights International Network

  • Analysis of human rights protection in the DPRK, including (but not limited to) education, housing, child rights, women’s rights, etc.
    • Ex.) Enforcement of Universal 12-year Compulsory Education, Law on the Protection and Promotion of Child Rights, Law on the Protection and Promotion of Women’s Rights, Law on the Care of the Elderly, and Law on the Protection of Person’s with Disabilities

“Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 2017 Human Rights Report”
United States Department of State—Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

  • Broad and inexplicit descriptions of the rule of law and subsequent judicial procedures/civil liberties within the DPRK.
    • Limited direct references, such as: Law on Complaint and Petition, Law for the Protection of Women’s Rights, Law on Equality of Sexes, Person with Disability Protection Law

“Report on Human Rights in North Korea 2014”
International Bar Association

  • “Chapter Two: North Korea’s Human Rights Policy”
  • “Chapter Three: North Korean Human Rights Law and their Applications”