N. Korea says it will hold national census in 2018

SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Friday it plans to hold a national census next year for the first time in 10 years.

"The DPRK will take the census of its population in 2018 in close cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report monitored here.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The KCNA said the North has so far taken two censuses in 1993 and 2008.

"To this end, an experimental survey will be made across the country to acquire experience this year and due measures taken for the successful conduct of census in 2018," it said.

North Korea, one of the world's most reclusive nations, is currently said to have a population of around 25 million, roughly half of the 51 million in South Korea.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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