$250 North Korean Smartphone...QR Payments and Taxi Hailing Possible, But This Feature Is Missing

No Wi-Fi Connection: Only North Korean Intranet Available
Automatic Screen Capture Prevents Viewing K-Dramas

An analysis of smartphones used in North Korea has revealed that these devices do not have global internet connectivity and frequently capture the user’s screen, automatically saving images in a “Screen History” folder.

A smartphone used in North Korea frequently captures the user's screen and automatically saves it in the 'Screen History' folder. Photo captured from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

On August 28 (local time), the U.S. daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) released a video analyzing the North Korean smartphone “Haeyang 701.” Ryu Sunghyun, a North Korean defector and former soldier, explained that such smartphones can be purchased in North Korean black markets for about $250 (approximately 350,000 won). However, since the monthly wage of a North Korean military officer is less than $1, he noted that obtaining one is extremely difficult.

The WSJ stated that “the use of smartphones is expanding not only in Pyongyang but across North Korea.” However, Ryu added that “only about 10% of North Koreans likely own a smartphone.”

The Haeyang 701 is a mid-range North Korean smartphone produced in 2023. Like other smartphones, it allows users to make voice calls, send and receive text messages, and offers various applications (apps).

It also enables QR code payments similar to China’s Alipay, and users can transfer funds to others. The transfer screen is divided into “domestic currency” and “foreign currency,” indicating that transferring U.S. dollars is also possible. Additionally, the financial app includes a function to hail taxis.

There is also an “Office Processing” app with an icon resembling Microsoft (MS) Word. A soccer game called “International Soccer Federation Contest” featuring the famous Argentine footballer Lionel Messi can be played, but “South Korea” and “the United States” are omitted from the list of selectable countries.

Above all, the key characteristic of this smartphone is that the North Korean government’s system of resident control is embedded in the device itself. The smartphone has no capability for global internet connectivity. Even if the Wi-Fi button is pressed, wireless internet does not activate, and the device can only access the intranet network managed by the North Korean authorities.

Censorship is also applied when writing. If one enters the name of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, it is automatically displayed in bold text. If “Republic of Korea” is typed, it is replaced with “(forbidden word).” When entering the slang term “namchin” (boyfriend), it is automatically corrected to “namjachingu” (the formal word for boyfriend), presumably because “namchin” is a term often heard in Korean dramas.

Additionally, Ryu stated, “With this device, it is impossible to access K-dramas or American content.” This is because the smartphone automatically captures the screen and saves it in the “Screen History” folder. It is impossible to disable this feature or delete the saved screenshots. According to North Korean law, watching South Korean or American content results in five years of reeducation through labor (imprisonment), and those who distribute such content face execution.

The WSJ pointed out, “Such use of smartphones occurs only within the limits set by the all-seeing state.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.