North Korea’s notoriously tight control over the internet means that only a select few can access it, and even then, their access is closely monitored. A new report from South Korean human rights organization People for Successful Corean Reunification (pscore) reveals the reality of internet use for those who manage to breach the tight security. The report is based on 24 personal interviews with refugees and a survey of 158 others, all of whom left North Korea between 2012 and 2022.
The report shows that getting online involves a lengthy approval process, after which users are supervised while browsing, with their actions being scrutinized every five minutes. Materials available to view are highly censored, with talk of the outside world being limited. Access to global internet is only available in certain places inside North Korea and requires permission from the authorities, which can take up to two days. Once permission is granted, users are allowed to spend an hour online, and if they need more time, they must get a new permission.
Although the internet is available to a small section of the elite, the local intranet, called KwangMyong, only offers a limited number of sites, with access primarily obtained in state buildings where surveillance levels are high. Despite the high prices and limited access, the connection is implemented through operators from China and Russia alongside satellite communication.
The pscore report highlights about 20 recommendations for increasing internet freedom, including establishing a “legal framework” for international access and recognizing access to the internet as a legislatively fixed human right. The report also calls for greater coherence within the country, advising North Korea to stop monitoring people and connect the intranet to the global network.