North Korea’s online IT exhibitions
North Korea has taken many science and technology events online as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The country typically hosts numerous technology conferences each year to showcase developments and…
Articles by Martyn Williams
KCTV production of the New Year’s Eve event
The annual New Year’s Eve event in Pyongyang is one of the only times each year that Korean Central Television broadcasts live. The event consists of a concert in Kim…
North Korea Intensifies War Against Foreign Influence
(This article first appeared on 38North) In early December 2020, a plenary meeting of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), its highest legislative body, approved several new laws, including one…
Pyongyang Hotel international call rates
Calling overseas from a hotel room is never a cheap experience, especially so in North Korea. A guide to the Pyongyang Hotel published in late 2021 provides an updated look…
Jonsung smartphones still yet to appear
North Korea’s newest smartphone brand appears to have stumbled. In late 2019, Jonsung Economy & Technology Exchange Company (전승경제기술교류사) made a splash at the 15th Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair…
The Olympics are back on KCTV
North Korean television began televising competition from the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics last week. Korean Central Television launched coverage in its late afternoon sports slot between 4pm and 5pm on Tuesday,…
Kim Il Sung University researchers invent a robot vacuum cleaner
Engineers at Kim Il Sung University have developed a robot vacuum cleaner, according to a submission to a North Korean journal of inventions. The robot is not pictured but sounds…
Korean-language broadcasting in China
In several regions along North Korea’s northern border with China, Korean-language programming from Chinese broadcasters is available on television and radio. Unlike programming such as Voice of America, Radio Free…
Pegasus-style surveillance is everyday life in North Korea
In the last couple of days, the Pegasus spyware and its targeted use on smartphones used by journalists, politicians and activists has come to light. The software, developed by Israel’s…
