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<\/a><\/p>\nIn his latest video, titled \u201cTesting North Korea\u2019s illegal smartphones,\u201d Arun Maini of MrWhosetheboss showcases two smuggled North Korean handsets, including a low-end model and a premium flagship phone conveniently called the \u201cSamtaesung 8.\u201d These North Korean phones aren\u2019t just censored in a way that they don\u2019t give you access to Google services or chat apps everyone in the world uses; they\u2019re Orwellian-level state tools designed to monitor citizens and enforce ideological conformity.<\/p>\n
Based on the hands-on investigation (parts of which have also been previously corroborated by outlets like the BBC), North Korean smartphones exhibit striking levels of censorship. If you\u2019ve ever wondered what a smartphone looks like when the government takes control of the entire operating system, this is it.<\/p>\n
As the YouTuber demonstrates, trying to type \u201cSouth Korea\u201d is impossible on these phones and autocorrects to \u201cpuppet state,\u201d while alternative wording replaces the name of the country with asterisks. Modern slang or references from South Korean media trigger corrections or warnings, sometimes even converting the phrase to the regime-sanctioned version, and reminding users that certain words are forbidden.<\/p>\n
The phones run on Android 10 and Android 11, featuring familiar, but fake apps.<\/p>\n
Another huge red flag is that none of these phones connect to the actual internet. Instead, they access a closed intranet filled with state-approved websites. Even clock settings are controlled by the government. Users can\u2019t change the timezone, modify dates, or sync with external servers. Everything is locked down to prevent communication with the outside world.<\/p>\n
The phones run on Android 10 and Android 11, featuring familiar apps such as a browser, calendar, camera, and music player. However, almost all of them are fake versions built to keep users inside a government-curated bubble. Some apps simply don\u2019t open, while others only display propaganda content.<\/p>\n
The apps that do exist on the phones include regime-approved games, Russian and Indian movies, and biographical tributes to North Korean leaders. Even popular international content is pirated, edited, and rebranded by the state.<\/p>\n
Attempts to install new apps require in-person store visits, where installations are explicitly authorized and time-limited by the government. Even local files and photos are tagged with government signatures, rendering any foreign content useless and deleted on sight.<\/p>\n
The phones quietly take a screenshot every time you open an app.<\/p>\n
When it comes to surveillance, these devices go way beyond your wildest imagination. They don\u2019t just limit what users can do, but methodically watch what they try to do.<\/p>\n
According to the walkthrough, the phones quietly take a screenshot every time a user opens an app. These screenshots are then saved on the handsets, creating a complete record of the user\u2019s activity.<\/p>\n
Moreover, photos can\u2019t be shared, Bluetooth is locked down, and while file managers exist, they don\u2019t give access to any meaningful directories.<\/p>\n
In a nutshell, the very idea of a personal computing device does not exist in North Korea.<\/p>\n
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