With security being tightened at border checkpoints, the cost of these bribes has increased and can now be as much as USD500. Most recently, North Korea announced a new tablet computer called—wait for it— the IPad. With a few “under cover” participants. North Korea boasts its own Android smartphones, tablets, internet, and even a Mac OSX rip-off operating system – this is what digital life looks like inside Kim Jong-un's hermit kingdom. Jean Lee, AP bureau chief for Seoul and Pyongyang, explained at SXSWi 2013. This isn't an entirely new idea. Especially if you are an expat just arrived at the airport you might take lots of time get a suitable cell phone and the monthly plan as well. North Korea would regard this as an act of war. North Korean children taking pictures with their cell phones. Yes to being able to show our guides fun pictures of family and life outside of North Korea; Yes to being able to access all of your fun offline apps. Family members living abroad can also covertly send Chinese mobile phones and SIM cards to relatives in North Korea, who take a risk in receiving these items. They can't access the Internet or make overseas calls. Very limited. But the tricked out phones wouldn’t be able to connect to the outside world anyway without a cell tower to connect to. North Koreans use the phones to talk or send text messages and even photos to reporters and activists in South Korea and elsewhere. North Korea experts note that high-ranking officials rarely use their cell phones for fear of being eavesdropped on by foreign intelligence agencies. One North Korea IT specialist said that there were many inactive cell phone numbers presumably allocated to the power elite in North Korea. Getting a new cell phone in Korea is one of the most stressful parts of settling in South Korea. into and out of North Korea, the North Korean authorities have tried to confiscate cell phones smuggled in from China.2 Concurrent with its crackdown on Chinese cell phones, the North Korean regime has shown strong support for its own domestic cell phone service provided by Koryolink, the North’s only official cellular network, since late 2008.

But North Koreans have been using smartphones since 2013, most of which are supposedly made within the country's borders by North Korean companies. While mobile phones are now a popular gateway to the Internet in the South, for North Koreans cell phones are used for domestic calls. Whilst foreign businesses and expats in North Korea are now permitted to have cell phones, and cell phones are now a big deal for Pyongyangers, they actually exist on separate networks, so our YPT phone can access the internet, and can call other foreigners, we cant call locals, nor access the DPRK intranet. Does North Korea have social media? Do they access cell phones and Internet? The only transmitter does appear to be placed on top of this major building. I doubt that it would have much of an effect beyond increasing the number of defection attempts and angering the North Korean regime. North Korean technology manufacturers have been copying Apple’s designs and ideas for years. In our opinion, not being able to have cell phones during the trip is not all too bad.

In a digitally-forward age, to be away from technology for one full week was a welcomed change for some of us. Cell phone use in North Korea is also controlled by the government. UPDATED: 26/01/18. When you get down to it, a $1000 phone that can connect to North Korean WiFi and only North Korean cell towers would still only have the same capabilities of a regular North Korean cell phone. How to get a cell phone plan like the local Koreans. As in other countries, cell phones have become status symbols, signs of prosperity, and one of the most noticeable examples of conspicuous consumption in North Korea. This typically involves paying a bribe to soldiers at the border. Probably only to reliable and certified users in the capital city of Pyongyang.