North Korea's first beer commercial

The choice of programming notwithstanding, the one thing North Korean couch potatoes have never had to complain about is a seemingly-endless stream of commercials. But seven years after the Taedong River Beer factory began production, its "pride of Pyongyang" is starring in the country's first television advertisement.

The brewery itself was originally a defunct Ushers plant in south-west England, purchased in 2000 as North Korea began recovering from a crippling famine.

Proving that false advertising knows no bounds, the Korean Central News Agency said:

The citizens call Taedonggang Beer 'cold yet warm beer' as it is associated with the warm care of General Secretary Kim Jong Il for the people.

Lasting almost two and a half minutes, the commercial says the beer relieves stress, improves health and encourages longevity, though it seems like the director might have been drinking something a bit stronger: