Technology
More from the Pyongyang trade fair
Sep 29th
Earlier I wrote about a new Android tablet computer called Samjiyon that was on show at the 8th Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair. Some of the images came from a KCNA video that also included some other highlights from the fair, including other pieces of technology.
The fair lasted from Monday to Thursday and including, according to KCNA, “more than 210 companies and entities from 10 odd countries and regions, including the DPRK, China, Netherlands and Germany.”
Here’s some screen grabs from the report (click the images for a larger version).
First refrigerators from what appears to be China’s Shangling Electric Appliances. One of More >
Samjiyon Android tablet debuts at Pyongyang trade fair
Sep 28th
A North Korean company says it has developed a tablet computer based on Google’s Android operating system, according to reports from the 8th Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair currently taking place.
There’s little actual information on the tablet computer, which was shown in photo coverage by the Associated Press and North Korean state TV. It’s made by a company called “Chosun Computer,” which doesn’t appear to have received any previous coverage in western or North Korean media.
You can see the AP photo on The Wall Street Journal’s Korea Realtime blog, which also talks about the computer. The AP didn’t run a story from More >
Pyongyang Maternity Hospital gets advanced Siemens scanners
Sep 28th
If you watch North Korea’s evening news for any number of days, you’ll usually come across medical features that show the inside of hospitals and the pictures are never particularly inspiring. Few modern machines are seen and the medical system certainly doesn’t rely on technology to the same extent as many developed nations.
So it was a bit of a surprise to see two advanced Siemens medical scanners in a report on Wednesday evening’s news. They were both featured in a report on the new breast cancer institute at the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital.
I’m not an expert on medical imaging scanners, but judging from More >
WIPO tech exports didn’t violate rules finds UN committee
Sep 25th
A United Nations committee has concluded the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) technical assistance program didn’t violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.
In question were exports of computer equipment by WIPO intended to help North Korea upgrade its patent office IT system. The exports were first reported by Fox News Channel in April, which published internal WIPO documents that showed reservations over the exports were expressed within WIPO.
In a letter to WIPO, Jose Filipe Moraes Cabral, chairman of the UN Security Council Committee, wrote:
Resolution 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009) expressly prohibit the supply, sale or transfer to the DPRK of nuclear, missile More >
North Korea shows off another tablet PC
Jul 26th
North Korea has a new tablet computer and it’s a hit with students, according to a report from the state-run KCNA news agency on Wednesday.
The new gadget is the latest in a string of tablet PCs reported by KCNA as being developed, manufactured and available in the DPRK, although the device is almost certainly imported from overseas.
Pictures accompanying the report don’t show any manufacturing, just workers in overalls checking devices — a style that’s been seen several times in the past couple of years, including once in 2011 when North Korean TV news featured a laptop TV factory that apparently produced several models More >
US House committee to probe DPRK tech exports
Jul 12th
The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee says it will investigate export of computer systems to North Korea by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The equipment was supplied to help North Korea’s national patent office update its computer system and gain access to international patent data.
WIPO also reportedly sent computer gear to Iran.
“The revelation that a UN agency has been supplying the brutal regimes in Iran and North Korea with sensitive technology is deeply disturbing, and must be thoroughly investigated,” said Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chairman of the committee, in a statement. ” Providing these thugs with sensitive technology has the potential to enable their More >
US looking into UN tech exports to DPRK
Jul 9th
The U.S. Government is looking into exports of computer equipment to North Korea by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the State Department said Thursday.
The exports were first reported by Fox News in April.
Internal WIPO emails published by Fox News show concerns about the deal were raised in several quarters within the WIPO.
A string of emails began with notice from the UN Development Program office in Beijing to WIPO informing the organization that Bank of America had blocked a US$52,638 payment for the computer equipment based on U.S. sanctions. A conversation between WIPO staff ensued that showed a general lack of More >
KCC shows tablet PC at Pyongyang trade fair
May 20th
The Korea Computer Center, one of North Korea’s leading centers of computer studies, showed off a tablet PC running electronic library software at the recent Pyongyang International Trade Fair.
The trade fair, which happens in the spring and autumn each year, is a showcase for the latest products from North Korean companies and from international organizations looking to sell into the DPRK. This year it attracted some 270 companies including foreign participation from the Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria, Switzerland, the UK, Austria, Italy, Finland, Poland, Australia, Malaysia, Mongolia, China and Taiwan, according to state-run KCNA.
The KCC tablet PC was detailed in an interview carried More >
Japan ties exported PCs to Internet attacks
Mar 14th
Japanese police suspect a consignment of 1,843 used computers and monitors allegedly exported to North Korea could have been used in a 2009 week-long attack on a handful of South Korean and U.S. websites.
The computers, allegedly exported in violation of Japanese sanctions, were shipped to the Pyongyang Informatics Center (PIC), a unit of the state-run Korea Computer Center (KCC), on June 18, 2009, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported quoting “investigation sources.”
Less than a month later on the July 4 weekend, a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack targeted 27 South Korean and U.S. websites.
DDOS attacks work by harnessing the power and bandwidth More >
More Tokyo raids over DPRK PC exports
Mar 1st
Police in Tokyo conducted follow-up raids this week on the office of a North Korean-linked science association as part of an investigation into illegal PC exports.
The Korean Association of Science and Technology in Japan (在日本朝鮮人科学技術協会, 재일본조선인과학기술협회) was raided on Tuesday, according to local media reports.
Police were investigating a possible link between the group and Lee Soon Gi, the 49-year old president of used PC equipment seller Popura Tec (website, right), said the Jiji news agency.
Lee was arrested earlier this month along with two others on suspicion of exporting PCs to North Korea in violation of Japan’s trade sanctions.
The science association was formed in More >
