Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Hospital Beds

North Korea’s hospital‑bed density fell from 14.30 per 1,000 people in 2010, the year of its all‑time peak, to 12.80 in 2018, placing it second globally among the World Bank‑tracked economies. The 12.80 figure represents a modest decline of 1.50 beds per 1,000 over eight years, a trend that mirrors the slight contraction observed in Japan, whose 2018 level stood at 12.93. While the North Korean system still offers more beds than Korea (12.43), Belarus (9.93) and Germany (7.94), the downward trajectory suggests a gradual reallocation of resources away from inpatient capacity, possibly reflecting shifts toward outpatient care or fiscal constraints. If health‑policy reforms prioritize expanding primary‑care networks, the downward pressure on bed numbers could ease, allowing the country to stabilise or even modestly increase its hospital‑bed stock in the coming decade.