North Korea’s distribution of surveillance cameras is making it increasingly difficult for its citizens to evade the government’s watchful eye, according to recent reports.
On the 16th (local time), the American think tank 38 North published a report assessing the strengthening of surveillance systems in North Korea. The report was based on interviews with defectors and information from North Korean state-run media.
According to the report, North Korea is currently expanding the use of closed-circuit (CC)TV, combined with digital technology, as a means of internal security enhancement and theft prevention. These systems have been installed in major cities, including Pyongyang.
In major manufacturing plants, CCTV monitors machinery and production processes remotely. The report found that these systems have been installed in public places and road entrances, such as Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square.
In particular, CCTV appears to be increasing in the Chinese border area. 38 North stated in their report that “the spread of CCTV threatens the ability of North Korean residents to evade surveillance.” However, they also noted that “it is uncertain how much of the footage is stored and accessible at a central level.”
But it’s not just CCTV technology. North Korea is also implementing facial recognition technology and is building a biometric database, which includes residents’ photos and fingerprints.
38 North pointed out that “North Korean residents are largely unaware of the dangers of digital surveillance.” Despite the spread of surveillance technology, “citizens are largely unaware of how surveillance technology is used and what it can do.”
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