① Kim Jong Un Spotted with a Foldable Smartphone
A smartphone belonging to Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, has sparked a buzz. An item presumed to be a foldable smartphone was spotted in front of Kim, along with cigarettes, an ashtray, and drinks. The phone resembled the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip or Chinese Huawei series.
Samsung Electronics dominates the foldable smartphone market with a global share of over 70%, followed by China’s Huawei and Oppo. A representative from a smartphone manufacturer suggested that the phone is more likely to be a foldable phone from Chinese manufacturer Oppo.
While the confirmation of the product’s manufacturer is pending, if it is indeed an Oppo foldable phone, someone might have secretly brought it into North Korea via China. United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 prohibits importing and exporting electronic devices to North Korea.
Kim, known for his interest in various smart devices, switched from a Chinese-made smartphone to a new foldable phone within the last four months.
Last July, a new North Korean smartphone appeared on North Korean Central Television. The name “Samtaesung8” is written on the bottom back of this phone. Previously, North Korea released smartphones known as Pyongyang Touch, Arirang, Azalea, and Blue Sky.
Among them, Arirang is the first smartphone made in North Korea. Known smartphone manufacturers have not released any new products since 2020. However, North Korea launched the Pine Tree, Myohyang, and Madusan smartphones last April. As time passes, they are introducing new products from various brands.
North Korea has updated the Android operating system up to version 13. In North Korea, internet use via smartphones is not possible. When someone inserts a SIM card, it can only access the internal intranet.
② Latest Phones Popular Among the Younger Generation
As of 2022, up to 7 million people in North Korea use mobile phones daily. Mobile phone distribution began in North Korea around 2010. Particularly among the younger generation, smartphone usage is high, with many preferring the latest models. The younger generation’s smartphone usage is so high that they won’t own a phone unless it’s the newest model.
According to defectors, the smartphone replacement cycle is fast in North Korea, and the demand for smartphones is very high. Smartphone devices are frequently changed, especially among the fashion-conscious younger generation. Although North Korean smartphones do not have internet connectivity, their design and performance are not significantly different from regular smartphones.
Even in North Korea, the latest smartphones tend to have more cameras. Using the newest phone in North Korea is synonymous with wealth and power.
Although the distribution rate of mobile phones in North Korea is known to be low, according to defectors, a significant number of people use smartphones. In 2022, the Central Intelligence Agency reported that only about 19% of North Korea’s population of 25 million use mobile phones.
As smartphones become trendy among North Korea’s younger generation, the usage rate gradually increases. One defector said, “Many people around me used mobile phones. Even when I was there, about 3 out of 10 students in a class had one. It wasn’t 50%, but now many people use it.”
Another defector said, “About 60% of North Koreans used mobile phones.” They even mentioned that it would be embarrassing not to have a mobile phone at school, as many people used them.
③ North Korean Smartphone Boot Screen Creates Buzz
At first glance, North Korean smartphones do not look significantly different from regular smartphones. However, once the interior design of the smartphone was revealed, it was clear that it was pretty different.
The YouTube channel Omokgyo Electronics Market revealed the boot screen of a North Korean smartphone. The first image was an illustration of a traditional Korean house, followed by the word “Pyongyang.” It was a screen that indicated its North Korean origin.
The boot screen of the North Korean smartphone has also sparked discussions in South Korea.
People had diverse reactions to the seemingly outdated design. Comments included expressions like stating that “The gold-colored traditional house on a black background was nice at first, but then…”, sharing feelings such as “I got chills as soon as ‘Pyongyang’ appeared,” describing it as “so absurd it’s funny,” and mentioning thoughts such as “I thought the initial illustration was somewhat sentimental and okay, but as soon as the logo appeared…”
By. Kim Min Jae
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