A newly smuggled smartphone from North Korea has just offered us a glimpse at the unusual depth of the state’s control in its citizens’ daily life. This model is packed with restrictions and surveillance tools that are tailored to reinforce the government’s message. So let’s have a look.
A Peek at North Korea’s Bizarre Smartphone
The rare look at this smartphone from North Korea comes from a BBC video, which was originally acquired by Seoul’s Daily NK. This paints an unsettling picture of the lives of North Koreans under Kim Jong Un’s regime. Right from the get-go, you see a North Korean flag as you power up the smartphone. While no official branding is revealed, it is immediately clear that the device is highly customized to fit the rigid requirements of the government.
The smartphone comes with automatic censorship that can detect when certain words are being used. This even includes something as simple as “oppo”, which is a Korean term for older brother. But in South Korea, girls often use it to refer to their boyfriends. So this device changes the word to “comrade” and also shares a warning message. Taking things even further, you can’t even type “South Korea” since it can automatically be changed to “puppet state”.
The North Korean government routinely monitors these smartphones since the phone silently captures a screenshot every five minutes. These images are then stored in a hidden folder that users can’t access. But as one can surmise, the screenshots are likely being used to monitor the user’s daily activities.
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