A smuggled North Korean mobile phone, obtained by the Seoul-based media organization Daily NK in late 2024, has revealed the extent of North Korea’s stringent censorship measures aimed at blocking foreign media and cultural influences, particularly from South Korea.
The device, analyzed by the BBC, showcases a sophisticated system of surveillance and control, including automatic censorship of language and routine monitoring of user activity.
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North Korea’s government denies its citizens access to the global internet and confines them to a state-controlled intranet called Kwangmyong, which delivers only government-approved content.
All television channels, radio stations, and newspapers are operated by the state, ensuring a monopoly on propaganda.
In recent years, under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, the regime has intensified its crackdown on foreign media, particularly targeting South Korean cultural exports like K-pop and K-dramas, which are strictly banned due to their perceived threat to ideological control.
The smuggled phone also exposes details of this censorship system. It automatically corrects South Korean terms, such as “Oppa” (a common term for boyfriend or older brother in South Korean culture), to “Comrade,” and replaces “South Korea” with “Puppet State,” a derogatory term used in North Korean propaganda.
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The device also takes screenshots every five minutes to monitor user activity, which is shared with authorities.
A human rights report by South Korea’s Unification Ministry, citing testimonies from 649 North Korean defectors, highlights that authorities routinely inspect phones for signs of exposure to South Korean culture, with violators facing severe punishments, including imprisonment or execution.