North Korea is utilizing smartphones for various digital services, including payments, taxi calls, and medicine orders.
The Washington Post reported on July 26, with the assistance of North Korean technology expert Martin Williams, that it analyzed two of the latest smartphones from North Korea.
The smartphones featured a range of applications, including a 'women's health management program,' an 'economic information system for mobile phones,' and 'transportation fare guidance.' These apps provided functions related to daily life, from banking and electronic payments to health management, transportation information, and medicine orders.
Using an electronic wallet app, users can pay for public transportation and recharge their bank accounts. The app's interface also displayed advertisements for stores selling electronics and groceries, as well as state-owned enterprises.
Recently, QR code payments have become widespread in Pyongyang, with street vendors reportedly adopting this technology. Steven Chang from the North Korean travel agency Young Pioneer Tours explained, 'North Koreans can pay for public transport, book taxis, and order food delivery or movie tickets using their electronic wallets.'
Peter Ward, a researcher at the Sejong Institute, noted that electronic payments help the North Korean authorities strengthen their control over currency circulation, exchange rates, prices, and taxes.
Ward stated, 'While all stores are equipped with CCTV and keep records, it is very difficult to monitor cash transactions on a large scale. As online finance expands, authorities can more easily track transaction histories.'
The 'Manbang' video streaming app allows users to watch 24-hour TV programs, movies, and content from state media. It includes works from China, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern European socialist countries, as well as Disney animations like 'Aladdin,' 'Pinocchio,' and 'Frozen' for language learning.
The Washington Post analyzed that instead of strictly cracking down on illegal foreign content like South Korean dramas and films, North Korean authorities seem to be providing residents with state-approved alternative content.
Apps for women offer information on managing menstrual cycles, makeup techniques, skincare, exercise, and diet. There are also apps promoting the ability to order and receive delivery of over 3,000 types of medicines, including cold medicine and hepatitis treatments.
Experts cited by the Washington Post indicated that the expansion of smartphone usage in Pyongyang is part of Kim Jong Un's policy to maintain the satisfaction and loyalty of the elite through urban development and improved living conveniences.
Since 2008, mobile phones have been widely distributed in North Korea. Currently, it is estimated that there are over 6.35 million mobile phone subscriptions among a population of approximately 26 million. However, the exact number of smartphone users remains unclear.
North Korean smartphones cannot access external internet and can only be used on a government-controlled internal network. To use external internet, individuals must obtain a SIM card from the black market and capture signals from Chinese telecom towers near the North Korean-Chinese border.
The Washington Post pointed out that while North Koreans can manage banking, learn makeup techniques, and track their menstrual cycles using smartphones, this digital convenience also serves as a means for increased government surveillance and control.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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