Leaked North Korean phone shows the extreme sensorship of the government’s foreign media
A smuggled mobile phone from North Korea has revealed new details about the country’s strict sensorship systems, which blocks almost all access to foreign materials, especially anything related to South Korea.According to a BBC report, North Korean smartphones automatically sensor the language and monitor user activity. The common South Korean words are replaced or corrected, and the phone takes screenshots every five minutes without user’s knowledge. These images are saved only in a hidden folder, accessible only to the authorities, allowing them to track users’ behavior closely.For example, the popular South Korean word “Oppa”, often used to refer to boyfriends or old male figures, is automatically corrected for “comrade”. A warning under the keyboard tells users that the term can only be used to refer to real brothers -in -law. Similarly, typing “South Korea” on North Korean phone leads to an automatic improvement for “puppet state” – as being controlled by the United States, is used by governance to portray South Korea.Mobile phones, radio and other communication equipment in North Korea are tightly controlled. The equipment is locked only to obtain state promotion and sealed to prevent any amendment. Any attempt to reach external information is considered a criminal act. Normal population has no access to global internet.The rift of governance on foreign influence, especially from South Korea, has allegedly intensified under Kim Jong Un. 649 North Korean convicts cited the admissibility from a report that the authorities regularly inspected the phone to suppress “Western impact” and other signs of contact with South Korean culture.K-Pop and K-Dramas have been strictly banned in the country. According to a human rights report by the Ministry of Integration, South Korea, in a case, a 22 -year -old man was publicly executed to listen and share South Korean music and films.
