13/10/2025
In North Korea, mobile phones may look outwardly similar to modern Android devices, but their software is heavily modified to enforce state control. A smuggled phone analyzed by the BBC revealed that ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฌ, silently capturing whatever the user is doingโwhether browsing, typing, or using apps. These images are saved in concealed directories that ordinary users cannot access or delete, ensuring that activity logs remain intact for inspection.
The surveillance goes beyond screenshots. The phones also censor text in real time. For example, ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ โ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐โ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ โ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐,โ reflecting the regimeโs ideological stance. Internet access is restricted to a closed intranet called Kwangmyong, which blocks all outside content. Even file transfers are tightly controlled, with watermarking systems that tag images and documents so they can be traced back to the original device.
This level of monitoring turns the smartphone into an extension of the stateโs surveillance apparatus. While in most countries mobile phones are tools of personal freedom and connectivity, ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ. Citizens cannot freely delete or hide their digital footprints, and the ever-present possibility of review reinforces self-censorship.
The revelation of these hidden features underscores how technology, depending on its design and governance, can either empower individuals or constrain them. In North Koreaโs case, the smartphoneโan icon of global connectivityโhas been reshaped into a mechanism of constant oversight, ensuring that even in private, citizens remain visible to the state.
Photo Credit: ๐ธ
