Technology
IP Phone system developed
Jan 29th
Kim Il Sung University’s Information Center has developed an IP phone system, according to a brief KCNA report on Thursday.
IP phone systems send calls as digital data over IP (Internet protocol) based networks. While widespread access to the Internet is not available in North Korea, the same IP technology is used on Kwangmyong, the nationwide intranet that connects universities and government offices.
The new system supports calls between computers, between PCs and telephones and between telephones, said KCNA.
It has various options, including video phone call and telephone meeting. It makes it possible to use telephone, IP telephone and soft telephone. – More >
A look at Kim Il Sung University’s computer labs
Nov 26th
The visit of group of Chinese graduates of Kim Il Sung University to their alma mater has provided a chance to see some of the computer labs in the establishment.
Coverage of the visit was carried by both KCNA and state television, which broadcast a 40-second report on November 25th.
I’ve posted some stills from the TV report below. They show what appears to be a modern, well-equipped classroom with numerous flat-screen computer monitors and keyboards.
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Kim Il Sung University is the DPRK’s top place of learning and a computer science school was established there More >
North Korea gets a new PDA
Nov 5th
North Korean shops have begun selling a new PDA (personal digital assistant), according to the blog of a Russian studying in the country.
The Pyongyang Show and Tell blog, which also introduced us to Red Flag Linux, has some pictures of the PDA and a few technical specs.
It appears to be very much in the style of the PDAs or multimedia players that were popular in the early to mid part of the last decade. There’s no branding on the case that’s visible from the images.
I contacted the student, who doesn’t want to be identified, and asked him a little bit More >
2010 National Program Contest
Nov 1st
The 21st National Program Contest was opened on Thursday, according to state media. The annual event is a showcase for the latest computer software developed in the DPRK and sees prizes awarded in several categories.
This year they included 15 areas of research including “system and security, man-made intelligence and processing of Korean language information,” reported the official Korea Central News Agency.
In the past KCNA has typically reported some of the software on display at the exhibition and even named some programs, but this year its report was unfortunately lacking in such details. The closest it got was reporting the display More >
Classes begin at PUST
Oct 26th
Long-time North Korea watchers will be familiar with the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST).
The project has been planned and talked about for years and always seemed ready to start “next year.” Well, that time has finally come, according to a report in the New York Times.
The first classes, in technical English, began this week and will be followed by a fuller curriculum in March.
Yonhap earlier reported on some of the details of the opening. It said 17 foreign professors would be traveling to Pyongyang for the opening and that 160 students have been selected for the undergraduate and More >
Online Lecture Begins
Oct 13th
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) — The Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang has begun an online-lecture service.
Full Story: KCNA
Phyongchon College of Technology
Sep 15th
Pyongyang, September 14 (KCNA) — In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, large factories and enterprises and major industrial zones have their own study-while-working networks.
Phyongchon College of Technology, situated in Pyongyang, is one of them.
Full story: KCNA
Nosotek’s News Corp. link
Sep 7th
Bloomberg has a well-researched piece on Nosotek, the North Korean computer programming joint-venture that’s been busy developing mobile games.
I spoke to the company back in June when I was writing “The world’s most unusual outsourcing destination” and at the time found a single Nosotek game: Bobby’s Blocks. Bloomberg managed to find several other titles, including some based on the movies “The Big Lebowski” and “Men in Black: Alien Assault.” Through a takeover the games ended up being published by a division of News Corp.
The story also quotes Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies on potential dangers it sees of such More >
Software outsourcing in North Korea
Jun 10th
North Korea has been quietly building up its IT industry and a handful of companies are looking overseas for business.
New Software Developed
Jun 10th
Pyongyang, June 10 (KCNA) — The Samjiyon Information Center under the Korean Computer Centre has of late made new programs.
Full story: KCNA
