Every day NK just lately obtained smartphone apps operated by North Korean cell carriers. North Korean residents can subscribe to cell companies on-line via these apps, with the notable requirement of submitting facial recognition information and private data throughout registration.
Kangsong Cellular Communications 2.0
“Kangsong Cellular Communications 2.0” is an app supplied by Kangsong, considered one of North Korea’s cell carriers, for his or her telecommunications companies. When launched, the app shows menus corresponding to “Bulletins” and “Cellular Companies.” The app is believed to have been launched in 2021.
Based on the app’s assist part, Kangsong Cellular Communications 2.0 is described as “a program that permits easy accessibility to cell telecommunications companies through cell phones.” It additionally states that “prospects subscribed to the Kangsong community can obtain numerous companies no matter location.”
Companies supplied embody:
- Checking telephone quantity standing
- Reporting misplaced telephones
- Requesting identify modifications
- Stability checking
- Fund transfers
- Entry to the Rodong Sinmun newspaper
- Information communication companies
- Missed name notifications
- Ring-back tone companies
- Voice mail
- Message trade
A notable function is the requirement to register facial data for cell service subscription. The app’s assist part particularly notes that “the face have to be utterly seen within the body when taking the photograph” and warns that “pictures taken whereas sporting masks or glasses is not going to be accepted.”
Along with facial data, the app requires:
- Consumer registration data (in English and numbers)
- Registration password (8+ characters combining English and numbers)
- Private data (identify, gender, citizen ID quantity, delivery date, job place, house deal with). After coming into an authentication code, registration is full.
One other noteworthy facet is that the app supplies overseas foreign money trade charge data. The assistance part explains that it “exhibits the each day overseas foreign money trade charges” and “robotically updates each time charges change for person comfort.”
Nonetheless, it’s unclear how steadily the trade charges are up to date or whether or not they replicate official or market charges.
The app additionally incorporates a Q&A board for customers. Based on the assistance part, “prospects utilizing the Kangsong community can entry details about widespread points. Customers can like, dislike, or report whereas searching content material,” with examples exhibiting inquiries about cell phone utilization points.
The app additionally introduces a number of web sites customers can entry, together with:
- Pyongyang
- Arirang
- Manmulsan
- Distant Schooling
- Kwangmyong
- Naenara
Manmulsan and Kwangmyong are e-commerce websites.
Koryolink Cellular Communications 1.0
Koryolink, one other North Korean telecommunications firm, can be working its personal app referred to as “Koryolink Cellular Communications 1.0.”
When launching this app, customers first see textual content explaining that they’ll “entry common details about Koryolink cell companies, multimedia searching companies, web site searching companies, information communication companies, and handle service subscription and cancellation,” together with the identify “CHEO Know-how Joint Enterprise Firm.”
CHEO Know-how Joint Enterprise Firm is a wi-fi telecommunications firm established in 2008 as a three way partnership between Egyptian telecommunications firm Orascom and North Korea’s Korea Posts and Telecommunications Co.
The app’s most important display shows not solely firm and product introduction menus but additionally numerous service menus together with:
- Identify change companies
- Cost companies
- Information communication companies
- Misplaced telephone reporting companies
- Message-related companies
- Ring-back tone companies When it comes to performance, it seems much like Koryolink 2.0.
Like Kangsong Cellular Communications 2.0, Koryolink Cellular Communications 1.0 additionally requires customers to enter private data (identify, gender, delivery date, job place, house deal with, citizen ID quantity) and identifiable facial data for registration.
Notably, whereas the app’s assist part consists of details about being a “system that exhibits exterior web sites related to 3G cell networks in real-time,” there is no such thing as a point out of 4G telecommunications, which is now in industrial use.
Apparently, the app’s assist part supplies particular addresses for the nationwide community homepage (10.30.99.87) and cell community homepage (193.10.0.10). It is because North Korea operates separate networks: the nationwide laptop community (wired, nationwide community), 3G information communication community (wi-fi, 3G community), and the Mirae community (wi-fi, Wi-Fi community), and thus supplies network-specific addresses to customers.
The Every day NK works with a community of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For safety causes, their identities stay nameless.
Please ship any feedback or questions on this text to dailynkenglish@uni-media.internet.
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