Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

North Korea’s Smartphone Market Booms to 7 Million Subscribers

Daniel Kim Views  

Recent insights show that smartphone usage in North Korea has skyrocketed in the past two years, especially since the lifting of COVID-19 lockdowns. Subscriber numbers have surged to 7 million.

Martyn Williams, a senior fellow for the Stimson Center’s Korea Program, published a report on 38 North titled “Smartphones of North Korea 2024.” His analysis highlights how the revival of international trade has breathed new life into North Korea’s smartphone scene.

Despite strict government regulations, demand is booming. Current estimates place mobile phone subscribers between 6.5 million and 7 million, far surpassing the meager 1.2 million landline phones in use.

Over the past two years, the variety of smartphone models sold in North Korea has doubled, with new brands emerging. About ten companies are known to be selling smartphones and feature phones.

The report evaluated that the specifications of the latest smartphones in North Korea are comparable to mid-range models sold in other countries, noting their advanced technical features, including megapixel cameras. These devices reportedly run on Android 12, which Google released in 2021.

However, the report pointed out that while the variety of smartphones sold in North Korea has increased, no products are manufactured domestically. The report indicates that every device sold in North Korea comes from Chinese manufacturers. North Korean companies source these smartphones through Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partnerships, with devices tailored to specific orders and labeled under North Korean brand names.

Interestingly, while hardware comes from abroad, the software is adapted with localized versions specifically designed for the North Korean market.

Daniel Kim
content@viewusglobal.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[ASIA] Latest Stories

  • North Korea Buried in April Snow—Experts Warn of Major Crop Damage After Climate Shock
  • North Korea’s Smartest Teens Are Being Dragged Into the Military—Here’s Why
  • North Korea Opens Its First Internet Café—and Kim Jong Un Brings His Daughter
  • Vietnam Cracks Down on Imports to Avoid U.S. Tariff Backlash
  • Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Time Spec Breaks Tsukuba Circuit Record, Cementing EV Performance Legacy
  • North Korea Sends Young Volunteers to Dangerous Jobs Under the Guise of Voluntary Participation

You May Also Like

  • 1
    GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Might Cut Cancer Risk Too, Study Finds

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    New Brain Cancer Drug Taps Into the Body's Internal Clock

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    How What You Eat Affects Your Mouth—And the Rest of Your Body

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Fatigue Fighters? Scientists Zero In on Hidden Energy Regulators

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Snoring May Be Hurting Your Memory More Than You Think

    LIFESTYLE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Superfoods Gone Wrong: What Not to Overeat

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Stop Peeling Your Kiwi—Here’s Why You Should Eat the Skin

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Ovarian Cancer’s Hidden Threat? It’s in the Fluid, Not the Tumor

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    New Study Says Everyday Plastic Could Be Wrecking Your Sleep

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Why Doctors Call Syphilis the Great Pretender

    LIFESTYLE 

Must-Reads

  • 1
    GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Might Cut Cancer Risk Too, Study Finds

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    New Brain Cancer Drug Taps Into the Body's Internal Clock

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    How What You Eat Affects Your Mouth—And the Rest of Your Body

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Fatigue Fighters? Scientists Zero In on Hidden Energy Regulators

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Snoring May Be Hurting Your Memory More Than You Think

    LIFESTYLE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Superfoods Gone Wrong: What Not to Overeat

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Stop Peeling Your Kiwi—Here’s Why You Should Eat the Skin

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Ovarian Cancer’s Hidden Threat? It’s in the Fluid, Not the Tumor

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    New Study Says Everyday Plastic Could Be Wrecking Your Sleep

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Why Doctors Call Syphilis the Great Pretender

    LIFESTYLE 

Share it on...