Infamous for its secretiveness and isolation from the rest of the world, it might come as a shock to some to hear that the internet can be accessed in North Korea. However, while most countries in the world have fast and unlimited access to the world’s information superhighway, the existence of the internet in North Korea offers a unique parallel.
The Early Years of the Internet in North Korea
The early years of the internet in North Korea date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the country began developing its own computer network.
In 1990, North Korea established the Korea Computer Centre (KCC), a state-run institution tasked with developing the country’s computer technology and software.
Whilst the Kwangmyong network was initially established in 2000 to connect universities and research institutions within North Korea, it has since expanded to include a limited number of government officials and citizens, and today features a vast array of government-approved websites.
Kwangmyong
A Korean word that translates to “Bright Light” in English, Kwangmyong is the name given to North Korea’s intranet. Developed by the Korea Computer Center, it is
Rather, the DPRK’s intranet consists only of sites created or approved by the Korea Computer Center, which manages the entire network on behalf of the regime.
The idea for Kwangmyong began in the late 1990s, as North Korea was developing its computer network infrastructure. At the time, the country was seeking to create a separate, domestic computer network that would be insulated from the global internet and subject to government control.
The goal was to create a network that would allow North Korea to communicate with the outside world while maintaining tight control over the information that flowed in and out of the country. And to do this, the regime enlisted the help of an unsuspecting businessman from Germany…
Korea Computer Center and Jan Holtermann
The Korea Computer Center (KCC) was founded in 1990 as a state-run institution tasked with developing North Korea’s computer technology and software. The center was established with the goal of reducing the country’s dependence on foreign technology and software, which was seen as a potential security threat to the regime.
The KCC was initially focused on developing software for North Korea’s state institutions, including government agencies and research organizations. Over time, the center expanded its operations to include software development, computer training, and other technology-related activities.
Jan Holtermann, a German software developer, founded the KCC’s German branch in Berlin in 2003 and, almost immediately, kick-started the development of North Korea’s computer network infrastructure. In the early 1990s, Holtermann was invited to Pyongyang by the North Korean government to work on a software project. He eventually established a long-term relationship with the KCC, working on various projects related to software development and computer training in the country.
In January of 2003, after striking a deal to provide internet access in North Korea starting in February 2004 to coincide with Kim Jong Il’s birthday, AFP reported that: “Mr Holtermann said he won the contract, despite Chinese competition, “thanks to his close contacts with North Korea”.
Holtermann’s involvement with the KCC continued into the 2000s, including his work on the development of Kwangmyong.
Emergence of Mobile Technology
The emergence of mobile technology in North Korea began in 2008 when Koryolink, a joint venture between Orascom Telecom Media and Technology and the North Korean government, launched the country’s first 3G mobile network. The introduction of 3G technology brought about a significant change in the way North Koreans accessed and shared information. Previously, internet access in North Korea was primarily restricted to a small number of elites, but with the introduction of mobile technology, ordinary citizens gained greater access to information and communication.
However, despite the introduction of this new technology, the initial cost of a mobile phone in North Korea was very high, making it accessible only to a small percentage of the population. However, as the number of subscribers increased, prices decreased, making mobile phones more affordable for the average citizen. According to a report by the Korea Institute for National Unification, the number of mobile phone users in North Korea reached 6 million by 2020, accounting for around 24% of the country’s population.
One example of how mobile technology has been utilized in North Korea is through the creation of a mobile app called “Manbang”. The app, which means “everywhere” in Korean, provides North Koreans with access to state-run television and educational programming, delivered as “over-the-top” content similar to Netflix and Roku in the Western world.
As well as being available for use on mobile media players, Manbang can also run on set-top boxes. On the app, users can watch documentaries, educational lectures, and even North Korean films on their mobile devices and televisions. After the app was launched in 2016 and quickly became popular among North Koreans who previously had limited access to television programming.
The North Korean government has also worked to expand mobile network coverage throughout the country. In 2015, the government announced that it would increase the number of mobile base stations in the country from 14,000 to 60,000 over the next five years. This expansion would improve network coverage in rural areas and help to increase mobile phone usage among the general population.
Despite the benefits of mobile technology in North Korea, there are also challenges. The government tightly controls access to information and monitors the online activity of its citizens. The use of mobile phones to access forbidden content can result in severe punishment, including imprisonment or execution.
Mobile Devices in North Korea
The Arirang Smartphone and Samjiyon tablet are two technology products manufactured in North Korea. They were first introduced to the market in 2013 and 2016 respectively.
The first version of the Arirang Smartphone ran on a modified version of the Android operating system. The device was initially marketed as having “many exclusive apps” and “high-level security functions,” although the exact specifications and capabilities of the device are difficult to verify from the outside, as the smartphone is not sold in the rest of the world.
The Samjiyon tablet, on the other hand, was marketed as a larger, more powerful device that could compete with foreign-made tablets made by companies such as Google and Samsung. It’s also worth noting that the device was supposedly developed by the same Korea Computer Center that had helped establish the country’s intranet years prior.
Like the Arirang Smartphone, the tablet runs on a modified version of the Android operating system and comes preloaded with a range of apps and games, although the option to access any apps from the outside world is prohibited.
Both devices are primarily marketed to North Korean citizens and are only available for purchase within the country (however, there have been a number of reports from tourists and DPRK enthusiasts that have managed to get their hands on both the Arirang and the Samjiyon).
The devices are reportedly used by citizens for a range of purposes, including communication, entertainment, and accessing state-run media. However, not only are they available to citizens of the country, but the devices are also used by government officials and members of the military.
Here’s a news report taken from the DPRK’s state-run news channel Korean Central Television (KCTV), clipped by NK News, showing the Samjiyon tablet back in 2013, the year it was released:
Future of the Internet in North Korea
As technology continues to develop at a rapid pace across the globe, North Korea’s relationship with the internet will continue to move in parallel with other countries.
For example, whilst the concept of vlogging on YouTube has existed for at least a decade in the rest of the world, the DPRK had only launched its first propaganda-fuelled ‘vloggers’ on the platform in 2022.
One of the most infamous, an 11-year-old girl named ‘Song A, who was infamous for speaking with an almost-perfect ‘received pronunciation’ accent.
According to The Independent, the girl lived in London while her father, Im Jun-hyok, worked as a Councillor for Maritime Affairs at the North Korean Embassy in London. Her grandfather also worked as the chief bodyguard for none other than the Kim family itself.
But vloggers aside, the future of the internet in the DPRK will most likely remain in the hands of the elite few tied to the Kim dynasty, as well as the highest-ranking members of the government and military – Just as it always has been.
Although access to rudimentary systems such as home media players and basic, Android-like phones, the likelihood that the global tech revolution will lead North Korean citizens to a better life remains to be seen.
: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – (CC BY-SA 3.0) 
