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Agricultural Drones in North Korea
Over the last few years, North Korea appears to have been trying to drive more science and innovation into its agricultural sector. Much of that innovation has occurred at the government’s weather provider, the State Hydrometeorological Administration. The agency now claims to have weather data for every county in North Korea, and accurate data is…
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Support for accessing North Korean media polled in South Korea
Just over half of 1,000 South Koreans surveyed support the ability to watch North Korean television, according to an annual survey on reunification matters that was published this week by the Korean Institute for National Unification (KINU). The survey focused on views towards possible nuclear armament by South Korea but included the question of North…
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North Korea Launches New Civilian Satellite Push
North Korea appears to have launched a broad project to develop civilian satellite technology and will meet quarterly to assess its progress. The project was disclosed last week when state media reported a “regular meeting” of the “Non-permanent Space Science and Technology Committee” (국가비상설우주과학기술위원회) was held at Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang on March…
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North Korea’s Anti-Epidemic Robot
A North Korean company has produced a robot for epidemic prevention. The device is advertised in the latest Foreign Trade magazine and is essentially an Android tablet with attached sensors packaged into a semi-humanoid form. Foreign Trade is a monthly magazine that promotes North Korean companies and overseas trade partnerships. “This autonomous mobile intelligent robot…
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Russian citizen charged over exports to North Korea
The U.S. Government has indicted a Russian citizen over exports of sensitive technology to North Korea. Ilya Balakaev is chief executive officer of Radiotester LLC, a Moscow-based company that repairs radio equipment, and the recently unsealed indictment alleges he exported a handheld gas monitor to North Korea. The charge is alongside a larger scheme to export…
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What to make of the “North Korean Life” TikTok channel
A new social media account purporting to be from North Korea almost certainly isn’t. The “North Korean Life” channel appeared on TikTok over the weekend and quickly amassed 121,000 followers. At the time of writing, it had collected more than 2 million likes and 33 million views. The channel currently has 17 videos and claims…
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New Android OS delayed in North Korea, says report
North Korean authorities have delayed a roll-out of a new operating system for Android smartphones.
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North Korean TV Coverage of the World Cup
North Korean viewers are getting pretty fast coverage of World Cup matches on Korean Central Television. The broadcaster is airing most games on a one- or two-day delay, which is a big improvement from four years ago when it only broadcast games beginning with the second half of the tournament. [Updated on December 12] KCTV…
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Twenty Years of Mobile Communications in North Korea
Twenty years after the first cellular calls in North Korea, mobile phones have become a cornerstone of daily life and the country’s informal private economy.
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Google at the Grand People’s Study House
The availability of Internet access at the Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang has been known for many years. Tourists to the site have reported seeing it many times and Eric Schmidt, founder of Google, and his colleagues saw North Koreans accessing Google and the Cornell University websites when they visited in 2013, according to…
