Archive · 1 Jun 2025
North Korea Intensifies Censorship on Smuggled Phones
North Korea tightly controls what its citizens can see and hear.
They use special phones that change certain words, like turning "Oppa" (a Korean word for boyfriend) into "Comrade."
The phones also secretly take pictures of what you're doing and send them to the government.
This helps them make sure people aren't getting outside information, especially from South Korea.
The government wants to stop people from being influenced by things like South Korean music and movies, and anyone caught consuming such content faces harsh punishment.
North Korean smartphones censor content, especially related to South Korea.
The word 'Oppa' is corrected to 'Comrade'.
Typing 'South Korea' changes to 'Puppet State'.
Phones take screenshots every five minutes, accessible only to authorities.
Access to the global internet is severely restricted.
- Who
- North Korean authorities under Kim Jong Un
- What
- Are intensifying censorship and surveillance of mobile phones.
- When
- As of recent reports.
- Where
- North Korea
- Why
- To shield citizens from outside influences and maintain regime control.
North Korean Government's Stance
International Community's Stance
Freedom of Information
North Korean Government's Stance
The state controls information to protect citizens from harmful influences and maintain social order.
International Community's Stance
Access to foreign cultural content is a basic human right, and censorship stifles free expression.
- Autocorrect for 'Oppa'
- Alters "Oppa" to "Comrade".
- Autocorrect for 'South Korea'
- Changes "South Korea" to "Puppet State".
- Surveillance Method
- Takes screenshots every five minutes.
- Surveillance Purpose
- Screenshots are accessible only to authorities.
- Internet Access
- Ordinary citizens have no internet access.
- Punishment for Cultural Infringement
- Listening to K-pop led to public execution.
