📡 North Korea Mobile Phones: A Look Behind Closed Doors

When we think of North Korea, the first associations are often strict censorship and lack of freedom. However, most people don’t know that today, over 6 million North Korea mobile phones are in use in the country – but under conditions completely different from anywhere else in the world.

📱 Introduction: A World Without Internet, But With Smartphones?

🔐 Limited Access and Strict Control

Citizens only have access to a local mobile network – calls and messages work solely within the country.

The internet is not available to ordinary users. Instead, a closed intranet network called “Kwangmyong” is used, filled with heavily censored content.

North Korea mobile phones come with pre-installed surveillance software, which prevents the installation of unauthorized apps and monitors user activity.

📲 What Do North Korea Mobile Phones Look Like?

Most North Korea mobile phones run a modified version of Android, but without access to Google services.

Domestic brands like Arirang serve as propaganda symbols of technological independence.

These mobile phones may have cameras and basic apps (calendar, calculator, e-books), but everything is filtered and restricted.

🌐 The Chinese Connection

In border regions (especially near China), users sometimes illegally use Chinese SIM cards and phones to access the real internet or communicate with relatives abroad.

This is strictly prohibited and punishable by prison or labor camps.

🎯 Interesting Facts

The first North Korea mobile phone was registered in 2002, but mass adoption began in 2008 with the launch of Koryolink.
The elite (government officials, military leadership) enjoy privileges like tablets and imported devices.
A common practice is exchanging movies and series using USB sticks or SD cards smuggled from China.

📊 How Many People Use Mobile Phones?

It is estimated that 6 to 7 million citizens use North Korea mobile phones – around 25–30% of the population. The network was launched via the Koryolink operator and runs on a 3G (WCDMA) system.

Technology	Status
2G	No longer in use
3G	✅ Main network
4G	❌ Not available
5G	❌ Does not exist

Ordinary users have no access to 4G/5G networks. Phones are often labeled as 4G-capable but operate exclusively on 3G.

💰 North Korea Mobile Phones: Prices and Availability

Phone Type	Price
New domestic models (Arirang, Pyongyang)	150–400 USD
Used phones	50–150 USD

Given that average salaries range from 5–15 USD per month, North Korea mobile phones are considered a luxury. Owning one is often a status symbol.

🔍 Is There a North Korean Google or ChatGPT?

No. Instead, a closed system called Kwangmyong exists, featuring:
- A local search engine (“Naenara search”),
- Websites of state media, universities, educational and propaganda institutions,
- A complete absence of global tools (Google, Facebook, ChatGPT, etc.).
University-level IT staff may have limited access to the real internet, but this is rare and strictly supervised.

🛒 Can You Buy North Korea Mobile Phones Abroad?

North Korea mobile phones, such as the Arirang or Pyongyang models, are extremely rare outside the country.

Why they are hard to find:

Export restrictions: North Korea does not officially export its phones. Most are intended for domestic use only.
Sanctions and regulations: International sanctions make trade in North Korean electronics illegal or highly restricted in most countries.
No global distribution: There are no official stores or online shops that sell North Korean phones internationally.

Where they might appear:

Online auctions or collector platforms: Occasionally, second-hand devices can be found on sites like eBay or Taobao, often sold by collectors.
Black markets in China: Used North Korean phones can sometimes be found in border towns, although their sale is unregulated and often illegal.
Museums or tech exhibits: Some rare models appear in exhibitions related to propaganda, Cold War history, or mobile phone evolution.

⚠️ Note: If you come across a North Korean phone online, be cautious. Many listings are fake, refurbished Chinese models, or non-functional collector’s items.

🔵 Life Behind the Screen of Control (Supplement)

🔵 These testimonies show that mobile phones in North Korea carry a different meaning – not a tool of freedom, but often a symbol of accepted limitation in everyday life.

“Our phone has a screen, a camera, even games – but everything is pre-installed. I can’t install anything or delete anything. If I try, the software reports it.”
“No one speaks freely on the phone. People whisper even at home because you never know if someone is listening.”
“When I first saw the real internet abroad, I couldn’t believe the world didn’t end with headlines from Rodong Sinmun.”
“Some people believe we have better phones than the rest of the world. State television shows us how bad life is outside, so many accept that as truth.”

🔚 Conclusion: Technology as a Tool of Control

North Korea mobile phones are not instruments of freedom, but rather tools of surveillance. Everything that appears modern – cameras, touchscreens, apps – operates within a closed system with no access to the outside world.

While mobile phones elsewhere symbolize freedom of information, in North Korea, they reflect the depth of its closed society.

Some images taken from: https://www.northkoreatech.org/