In this graph, North Korea's population is still growing, even though their population growth is slowing. The population drop in the late 90s is due to the North Korean Famine caused by mismanagement under Kim Jong-Il's leadership, which killed between 245k to 3 million people. North Korea is considered a "hermit kingdom" as it's a dictatorship ruled by the Kim dynasty, and is considered one of the most authoritarian countries in the world.