You are emotional again. Look closely at the Phillipines and Egypt, the two most close allies of the US in developing world. The rich world became rich since they colonized and plundered other countries, or closely connected to countries that colonized, for nearly 500 years, not because they are the US allies.
May be they would need at least 100 years to catch up with North Korea in urban planning and civilization, infrastructure, education, science and technology, cleanliness, worker disciplines, sport, etc. or never. Up to now, North Korea still have the highest percentage of electrified railways in the world. (nearly 100% if I remember correctly, since I am a railways fan)
Despite all rhetoric from Western so-called free media, North Korea is still better than most of developing countries, including Vietnam in virtually everything. Frankly speaking, if I have to choose to send my daughter to study science and technology abroad, I'd rather choose North Korea and Russia than the like of Brazil, Turkey, India, Mexico, Greece, Spain, etc.,
Since 1970s, North Korea could manufacture turbine for their power plants, a job still now only a handful of elite countries can do, such as China, Japan, Russia, Germany and the US. Do not be brain-washed by the media.
Are u for real? u should read history of Korea during 20th centuary and Asia that time in particular, if not the world. After Japan and Korea treaty in 1910, Korea is official annexed by Japan, but unlike Western colonialist (except mb Britain-only certain place), they basically suck up everything in colonialised countries and make local working in slave like condition, only certain amount of people in colonialised countries whose those colonialist see can co-operate and show loyalty to them can have education and have some right. Most infrastructure was build only for sole purpose of sucking all the resources and transport back to colonialist countries, which make output of colonialised countries basically very low. But it is not the case of Korea under Japan rule, from 1910 to 1945, economic output of Korea increased by ten to fifteen fold, see the chart: (or search economic production or output of Korea under Japanese rule chart)
Following the annexed, The public education for most of the period was taught by Korean educators under a hybrid system focused on assimilating Koreans into the Japanese empire while emphasizing Korean cultural education. It is basically the method of assimilate Korean into Japanese Imperial Empire. However, One point of view is that, although the Japanese education system in Korea was detrimental towards the colony's cultural identity, its introduction of public education as universal was a step in the right direction to improve Korea's human capital. Towards the end of Japanese rule, Korea saw elementary school attendance at 38 percent. Children of elite families were able to advance to higher education, while others were able to attend technical schools, allowing for "the emergence of a small but important class of well-educated white collar and technical workers... who possessed skills required to run a modern industrial economy." The Japanese education system ultimately produced hundreds of thousands of educated South Koreans who later became "the core of the postwar political and economic elite.
In Korea public school under Japan rule, it is teaching basically in Hanja-Korea script, not Japanese. For faster assimilate by rewrite history in school book ofc and make normal people seen no discriminate
About. North Korea, under Japan rule, most of the infrastructure project in Korea was build there because of rich potential resource, human capital mostly concentrate there,.... And many more reason. About 68% project go fot North Korea and 32% for South Korea i think. Japanese even build a big dam in North Korea that they still use today, much bigger than many Dam operate in our country
In Cold war era, Soviet also help them bulding Pyongyang with much infrastructure and industry, same for Eastern Europe (a lot of left over Soviet infrastructure there, especially in East Berlin, there are street name in Russia-Panlov alli,... and Karl Marx alli-very beautiful street, many more u can find in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary. Indeed volume of trade of North Korea with Soviet account 65% of their total trade, not counting annual 30 doctor, physician and scientist,... send to North Korea anually to help them building industry, particularly heavy industry. Until 1980's, North Korea still in many way better than South Korea, it is after Soviet collaspe and Soviet-Sino split, they suffer and got surpass by South Korea in 1980-1990
So your comparison of North Korea with Egypt and Philippine is completely irrelevant, they are not start at the same point.
Philippine under America rule before 20th centuary not exactly nice and help them i will say. The slogan "kill everyone under 18 is quite famous"
Also u know America like to make Allies with whoever benefit them, if no longer benefit or cost to maintain too high, then they will abandoned them like South Vietnam. There are many different group of US allies, only few of them regarded as core interest of US need to protect
True North Korea was indeed better than many developing countries, they are regard as middle power before the Soviet collapse, they even better off than South Koreain many aspect until late 1980's
But their consumer product and light industry is very bad. They mostly focused on heavy industry, and most revenue spend on defence i doubt standard of living for ordinary there as good.As i state 65% trade volume of N.Korea is with Soviet, i don't know why they support China during split and got suffer afterward. Not to mention the isolatation
See the balance of trade near Soviet collaspe
Figure North Korea’s Foreign Trade
north korea is basically a stagnant economy now after flat growth and negative growth over decades, not to mention their debt owned to Russia who are already written off many for them and no interest rate but still huge amount