North Korea's $250 Haeyang 701 Blocks Global Web, Auto-Censors Banned Words

1 articles · Updated · en.sedaily.com · Aug 30

$250 Haeyang 701 phones can handle QR payments, money transfers and taxi hailing, but WSJ found they connect only to North Korea's state intranet, not the global internet.
Typing controls are built into the device: “Republic of Korea” is replaced with “(banned word),” Kim Jong-un's name turns bold, and some South Korean slang is automatically rewritten.
A screen-history function silently captures screenshots that users cannot delete or disable, reinforcing surveillance alongside restrictions on foreign media.
About 10% of North Koreans use smartphones, defector Ryu Sung-hyun estimated, because the devices cost far beyond the reach of most residents whose military pay can be under $1 a month.
The findings suggest smartphone use is spreading beyond Pyongyang, but only within a tightly controlled system that blocks outside information and monitors behavior.