North Korea's IQ

It provides an excellent test case for the two main theories concerning group differences in IQ.

Jul 09, 2024

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A realistic depiction of a North Korean military parade under dramatic, stormy clouds. The scene is wide aspect ratio, showcasing rows of soldiers in uniform marching in unison, with military vehicles and flags displayed prominently. The background features imposing government buildings, and the overall atmosphere is tense and grandiose.

Written by Noah Carl.

Does North Korea – the reclusive, one-party communist state – have a high IQ? According to the latest version of Lynn and Becker’s dataset, there are no IQ data available for the country. Nor has it participated in any student assessment studies like PISA or TIMSS. So the short answer is: we don’t know. We do know its fraternal neighbour to the south has an average IQ in the region of 103, making it one of the world’s smartest countries.

Why care about North Korea’s IQ, anyway? Well, it provides an excellent test case for the two main theories concerning group differences in IQ: the environmentalist theory and the hereditarian theory.

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