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North Korea seizes mobile phones to suppress news from the outside world

Categories: Featured, General, Lifestyle
By: , IntoMobile
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 at 2:45 AM

Just when we talked about a growing number of mobile phone users in North Korea, the government reacted… badly. Their plan is to confiscate mobile phones smuggled from China in an attempt to suppress news from the outside world, specifically news involving revolts against despots in the Arab world.

According to North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, police in North Hamkyong and Yangkang provinces bordering Russia and China have started urging residents to voluntarily surrender mobile phones or face punishment.

Unsurprisingly the North Korean government is using the old anti-capitalism rhetoric promising to punish “those spreading capitalist ideas and eroding socialism” while at the same time ensuring the life-long rule of Kim Jong-il.

Although there is no hard data on the number of mobile phones smuggled from China, it is said that more than 5,000 people in Hyesan alone had used such phones as of 2006.

So what do we make of it? We hate it and can only hope that the reign of communists in North Korea will end sooner rather than later.

[Via: AFP]

About The Author

Dusan Belic

Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run SymbianWatch.com which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis.

  • Nix

    Well, well, well! I thought of something like this.LOL. I’m a malaysian and I see what S-korean media can do to our people here in Malaysia, people love it! I’m itching to know what will they say if the North Korean People sees  all the South counter parts Entertainment media shows, I bet they will embarrased by what they have which is only all boring propagandas. Oh My God! This is it! Communism is rotting away!! Please update me with this story!