Malaysia and North Korea: A Geographical Comparison
With Malaysia and North Korea as two of the world’s widely debated political centers, where one is an example of accelerating progress, the other being largely isolated, it’s an obvious comparison point. Yet, how far are they actually apart?
For starters, North Korea is located in the Eastern part of Asia, the Korean Peninsula to be exact, while Malaysia is situated on 1 of the Southeast Asian islands on the west. Geographically, these two countries are placed at two far-apart locations.
One of the most obvious distances is from a bird’s-eye view, where a straight line from one side of the Korea to the other covers 2,006 kilometers, or some 1,250 miles. Meanwhile, the same line from West Malaysia to East Malaysia, formerly known as Sabah, separates an even larger distance, at 2,564 kilometers, or about 1,592 miles.
Investigating further, Malaysia and North Korea are split by an even larger stretch of Asian land. From East Malaysia, the total distance to Pyongyang, North Korea’s capitol, is a total of 3,630 kilometers, or some 2,269 miles. This estimate further expands when leaving from Malaysia’s western side.
To reach Pyongyang from Kuala Lumpur, one of Malaysia’s most developed cities and home to the Petronas Twin Towers, the distance is a full 4,418 kilometers, or almost 2,744 miles.
Though it is still possible to reach either side by land and water, the aforementioned distances are far, and this can prove to be a challenging endeavor.
Tracing the Malaysian-North Korean threshold further, one can find that undersea cables linking East Asia to Europe have been installed in the same waters, some of which bypass by the Korean Peninsula.
Additionally, there are several countries in the middle, including Japan, China, and South Korea, which makes the voyage a complex network of options under specific cases.
Air Travel Between Malaysia and North Korea
If the notion of the voyage is daunting, a great option would be to take a plane. According to an online flight search portal, the shortest route between Malaysia and North Korea is via Seoul, South Korea.
In this route, the total duration of the flight stands at 12 hours and 5 minutes, with an approximate distance of 5,375 kilometers, or 3,337 miles.
This distance can cut short if the flight is taken from an alternative Malaysian city, one located roughly in the middle of West and East Malaysia, such as the tropical port town of Kuching.
From Kuching, the traveling time stands at only 8 hours and 34 minutes, with a flight distance of 4,788 kilometers, or about 2,981 miles.
Though based on current available flight options, the fastest international journey from Malaysia to North Korea is from Kuala Lumpur to Pyongyang via Beijing. This route stands at around 8 hours and 40 minutes. Furthermore, according to the official flag carrier of Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, there are currently no direct flights between Malaysia and North Korea.
Economic Context
Apart from the distance itself, the economic context present a further concern. For example, North Korea’s lack of economic stability and regulated foreign movement explains why Malaysia is the destination of choice for much of North Korea’s pro-sanctioned businesses—with those rooted in the tech and IT sector taking a generating some of the most profit.
These fluctuations have been heavily condoned by the government. Consequently, there have been many active cases of sanctions imposed on North Korean organizations, further preventing any non-governmental economic efforts.
Additionally, North Korea has been implicated in a number of growing online cyber-security scams. Such is the case of Lazarus Group, an alleged North Korean-backed hacker group that has been linked to millions of dollars of losses worldwide. It is considered one of the most active practical digital threats of our era.
That said, luckily, more and more North Korean individuals are exercising more freedom with the help of technology. This has enabled a more open dialogue, one that includes the topic of distance between Malaysia and North Korea, which remains separated by thousands of kilometers and hundreds of miles.
Difference in Politics
In terms of the countries’ politics, it is essential to consider the differences between both nations. On the one hand, Malaysia is a Federal parliamentary democracy, whereas North Korea is under a full communist rule. This certainly affects the way of life in both countries and adds to the differences between them.
North Korea’s heavy regimes, long established as of the after the [Korean War], have been questioned by several international organizations, eventually leading to the effects of various sanctions being placed by the United Nations (UN).
Meanwhile, in the case of Malaysia, this is largely considered a democratic nation, although criticism has been brought up at times, mainly regarding their response to immigration and detention policies. Nevertheless, it remains a legitimate and relatively open country.
When it comes to foreign relations and diplomatic ties, Malaysia and North Korea are very distant. This is largely caused by differences in both countries’ issued policies and common base of citizens and interests.
In addition, North Korea holds a “sports-based” approach, mainly housing a profusion of athletes who are sent to compete in international competitions, including the Olympics. On the other hand, Malaysia relies heavily on foreign investment and foreign trade.
Cultural Comparisons
After the discussion of economics and politics, it’s important to look at the countries’ cultural aspects. Much of North Korea’s culture has been based in preserving the lifestyle of its people. A clear example of this would be the Kim Dynasty, which has withstood the country’s rule since the 1940s. This approach generally stands in contradiction with Malaysia’s idea of cultural diversity.
Malaysia, compared to North Korea, assures a deep respect towards cultural variations such as regional religions and customs, expressed mainly in matters of daily life such as language, food, relationships, customs and values. This, in turn, suggests a more relaxed view when it comes to limitations of freedom.
At the same time, this notion of “cultural homogenization” still points out a few common aspects, ones regarding the family and the origin of food. This is evident in both countries, where ancient traditional practices, such as ancestor-worship, remain present in most households.
Further into food habits, the main dishes are largely similar in both countries. A major factor of this is written in the history pages, where it is known that North Koreans and Malaysians were both exposed to the same type of proper cuisine thanks to their British colonizers.
In terms of recreation, North Koreans’ entertainment offerings tend to be relatively limited. Activities such as video games, due to their “underground” status, are seen by many in North Korea as an unwanted presence in society. As for Malaysia, recreational activities are much closer to those of its western neighbors, such as going to the movies, attending sporting events and so on.
Societal Developments
With a better understanding of both societies, it is possible to discuss the countries’ recent developments.
North Koreans experiencing the repercussions of the International Social Credit System, a form of digital score relating to citizens daily lives and choices, is gaining attention worldwide. This has been argued to be one of their main efforts of implementing their “Big Brother” ideology, further restricting their citizens’ freedoms.
Malaysia, on the other hand, has been slowly easing up on much of its government control when it comes to public life and recreation. One of their greatest achievements to date is the development of their digital economy, focusing on innovation, ethics, and public-private investment. The Digital Free Trade Zone of the flagship program is amongst the leading offers in this area.
Additionally, Malaysia is constantly updating its education model, offering university and college admission to international students. This is especially notable as one of their main efforts in having a somewhat “open-door policy” with other countries.
Conclusion
As previously discussed, the distance between Malaysia and North Korea can be daunting. Nonetheless, they remain miles apart in terms of their political and economic standing, their cultural tendencies and the technological and governmental developments that guide their respective citizens.
Though this gap cannot be diminished immediately, a better understanding of both territories and how they relate to one another can be the stepping stone to acknowledging our differences, while also helping us to preserving sustainable dialogue.
