How North Korea Is Using Smartphones as Weapons of Mass Surveillance

As smartphones and mobile devices become more common in North Korea, technology isn’t just improving communication; it’s giving the government a powerful tool to spy on its people. The Wall Street Journal investigates Pyongyang’s sophisticated surveillance technologies. Photo: Paolo Bosonin



More from the Wall Street Journal:

[majow]

For a country thats supposed to be poor and starving. They extremely smart in inventing a perfect operating system for themselves. Unless they have been taught this.

[fjaajf]

Of course, porn always finds its way.

[peterabraham]

You gotta admire how effective Kim is at controlling his people. Guy gives them tablets and then uses that to spy on them.

[Asiablue]

Governments do this with ALL smartphones. What do you think the NSA is for?

[jamesoxford]

Why don't you do a piece on the US?

[kv-]

Scratches at level 6, with deeper groves at level 7.

[basilidesthefalse]

Truly 1984. All they were missing was the infamous ‘telescreen’ and now they have one and worse it’s portable.

[SFVYachtClub]

At least their surveillance tools don't spam you with ads like ours do. 😏

[petersmythe]

"The government was monitoring devices around the clock."

Yes. This is true. In almost every country. In fact, multiple different governments are doing so.

[GregCalleja]

It's not like the NSA doesn't do this 🙄

[mskiara]

I imagine when North Korea creates a social media for the citizens, the privacy invasion would expand further. To be aware that individuals are okay being assigned to monitoring their brethren is sad. Yes I am aware that this type of invasion is common internationally, but citizens and their family are not being sent to prison for insulting the Government.

[SassyOnline]

It's almost like all other countries haven't been doing this for absolutely years. Wallstreet Journal really lives up to it's name, completely American. North Korea isn't a good place, but even the bad should have the truth told about them.

[ChristianJiang]

I’ve been to Pyongyang. They do have smartphones, but unlike us, they do not walk while using their smartphones... They aren’t addicted at all!

[kalinarodak]

Why don't all the soldiers just turn against him? Then he will have absolutely no power!

[Takcci]

North Korea is like my mom
Confirmed.

[amithmalik]

western media. : North Koreans don't have phones, electricity or underwear and they claim to have discovered u unicorns
Also western media: North Koreans are been tracked with their smartphone
🙄

[KiyokaMakibi]

A death penalty for watching something not approved? Yikes that’s rather harsh… o_o

That was scary hearing how the tablet would randomly take screenshots of your history (and I assume automatically send it off).

[jejh]

”North korea uses phones for mass surveillanve”

Sounds just like the NSA

[briceangelini]

It is even worst in the US. The title is a double shame!

[joancat]

Look at the that ryugyong hotel looks like a missle 😳