North Korean smartphones take secret screenshots every five minutes, storing them in hidden folders for government inspection while automatically replacing “South Korea” with “puppet state” in all communications.
Key Takeaways
- A smuggled North Korean smartphone reveals the regime enforces ideology through automated text correction, changing “South Korea” to “puppet state” and “oppa” to “comrade”
- The device secretly captures screenshots every five minutes, storing them in government-accessible hidden folders for continuous surveillance
- North Korean authorities criminalized using South Korean phrases or accents in 2023, with “youth crackdown squads” patrolling streets
- Citizens have no internet access, only a closed intranet system with state-approved content, with device tampering classified as a serious offense
- Despite extreme censorship and the threat of severe punishment, some North Koreans risk accessing forbidden South Korean content via smuggled media
Digital Dictatorship: How Kim Jong Un Weaponizes Smartphones Against Citizens
A North Korean smartphone smuggled out of the country has exposed the shocking extent of Kim Jong Un’s digital surveillance state. The device, obtained by Seoul-based media organization Daily NK, reveals how technology designed to connect people is instead being weaponized to control every aspect of North Korean citizens’ communications. The phone runs a heavily modified version of Android specifically engineered to enforce state ideology and monitor users continuously, capturing screenshots every five minutes that are stored in hidden folders accessible only to government authorities.
The smartphone functions as an Orwellian control mechanism, automatically censoring and modifying text to conform with state ideology. Type ‘South Korea,’ and the phone instantly changes it to ‘puppet state.’ Attempt to use the popular Korean term ‘oppa’ (a familiar term for older brother or romantic interest), and the device forcibly replaces it with ‘comrade,’ displaying a stern warning: “This word can only be used to refer to siblings,” according to North Korea’s strict linguistic guidelines.
Language Police: Criminalizing South Korean Speech
In 2023, North Korea escalated its information war by officially criminalizing the use of South Korean phrases, slang, or even accents. This measure demonstrates the regime’s growing concern about cultural infiltration undermining its propaganda. ‘Youth crackdown squads’ now patrol streets specifically targeting young North Koreans who might adopt South Korean mannerisms or speech patterns. The punishment for such crimes can be severe, with public executions reportedly carried out for those caught distributing South Korean media.
“Smartphones are now part and parcel of the way North Korea tries to indoctrinate people,” said Martyn Williams, a North Korea technology expert. “North Korea is now starting to gain the upper hand in the information war.”
The regime’s obsession with controlling language extends beyond mere terminology. According to testimony from defectors, authorities regularly inspect phones for forbidden terms, with strict penalties for violations. One defector, Kang Gyuri, faced repeated reprimands for adopting South Korean styles and speech patterns before eventually escaping the country. This linguistic policing represents the regime’s understanding that cultural influence poses an existential threat to its controlled narrative.
Total Information Control: The Digital Prison
North Korean citizens have no access to the global internet. Instead, they’re limited to ‘Kwangmyong,’ a closed intranet system containing only government-approved content. All electronic devices, from radios to smartphones, are sealed against modification, with tampering classified as a serious offense. The regime’s technological stranglehold ensures complete control over information flow, with foreign media consumption treated as a crime against the state.
“The reason for this control is that so much of the mythology around the Kim family is made up. A lot of what they tell people is lies,” explained Martyn Williams, a North Korea technology expert.
Despite these draconian measures, some North Koreans continue risking their lives to access forbidden information. USB drives and micro-SD cards containing South Korean entertainment are smuggled across borders, while some foreign broadcasters transmit information via radio waves that penetrate the closed country. This resistance highlights both the human desire for truth and the desperate lengths to which the Kim regime will go to maintain its information monopoly.
