Cell phones, Wi-Fi networks usage has increased in North Korea, claims study – Times of India

Two US-based researchers have discovered that up to 7 million North Korean citizens use cell phones and Wi-Fi networks regularly. The steep rise took place as mobile devices became an important tool for market activity in the isolated country, the researchers added. According to a report by Reuters, Martyn Williams and Natalia Slavney of the Washington-based Stimson Center‘s 38 North programme have claimed that their latest study on digital communications in North Korea showed a stable rise in cellular users. The study included an analysis of satellite imagery and a survey of about 40 defectors who fled the country between 2017 and 2021.
How cellular users have increased in North Korea
The number of cellular users in North Korea increased from 6.5 million to 7 million with the initiation of 3G network services in 2008. This number is more than a quarter of North Korea’s 25 million population, the researchers added.
The researchers identified base stations, accompanying antennas and solar panels from satellite images to create an estimated coverage map of North Korea’s cellular network. This map helped them to suggest that the service is not only available in cities but also runs “deep into the rural areas.”

One of the researchers mentioned that the country’s cellular coverage is “still expanding” and more than 90% of the surveyors reported using their phones daily to contact “family members and traders.”
How Wi-Fi networks in North Korea have developed
Williams claimed that the emergence of faster Wi-Fi networks across North Korea was driven by an outdated 3G network and the upgradation restrictions from foreign investments caused due to sanctions imposed by other countries for its weapons programmes.
These Wi-Fi networks offer connections to domestic services and are not used to access the internet. They mainly served as a tool for scientific databases for the research community, Williams added.

The researchers also noted that the country’s poor infrastructure depicted the presence of a few landlines. This gap was bridged by mobile phones which acted as a key tool for the citizens to participate in a private market economy. Private market participation also became a key source of income for many users.
The state-led concerns of North Korea have been left behind by the private sector which has also turned out to be the country’s major economic actor in recent years. Williams mentioned that one of the biggest changes in the country over the last decade was the rise of the private economy and marketplaces. He also suggested that the wide availability of basic telephone and text messaging was one of the pillars of the entire market economy.