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  • Cell phones are now illegal in North Korea, propaganda over 3G resumes in 100 days

Cell phones are now illegal in North Korea, propaganda over 3G resumes in 100 days

Posted: , by Nick T.

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Cell phones are now illegal in North Korea, propaganda over 3G resumes in 100 days
Did you know that North Korea, a country whose citizens are virtually isolated from the rest of the world, has a 3G wireless network? We kid you not. It has been operational since 2009 and currently covers 91 percent of the country. And to the surprise of no one, all of the network's 400,000 or so subscribers are supporters of the regime.

However, this 3G network is quite different from the ones we are used to as the plans and rates that it offers depend on one's social status. If a subscriber is at the low level of North Korea's political hierarchy, they can only call people belonging to that class. If a subscriber belongs to the elite, they are allowed to contact other elite members only. Of course, every single call is being closely monitored, so one really has to watch their language unless they want to spend some time in a labor camp. And don't think that you can use it to surf the internet because the pages it provides access to are loaded with political propaganda.

But little of that matters now as the North Korean government has imposed a total ban on mobile phones. During the 100 days of mourning for the loss of the Dear Leader Kim Jong Il, those who get caught using a mobile phone will be treated as war criminals. Or in other words – sentenced to many, many years of prison or even death. The ban is actually a way for the ruling (and only) party to protect the stability of the country by preventing the leaking of information. It will also reduce the risk of uprisings against the regime. Supposedly, the ban will be lifted after the 100 days of mourning are over.



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1. abdane posted on 30 Jan 2012, 06:42 7 1

WTF ? :O a country with no mobiles ? thats weired o_O

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3. kainy posted on 30 Jan 2012, 07:01 5 1

Educate yourself ... that's the least of their worries... Dude they ware treated as war criminals if they didn't moan enough for Kim Jong Il... read a little on the matter.

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6. SuperAndroidEvo posted on 30 Jan 2012, 08:01 4

Did you not read the article? They can be subjected to many, many years in prison or even DEATH. That is the way it is in a communist country.

I think people can be without a mobile phone for 100 days just to avoid that. I know you would be cool with not using your mobile phone if YOU were subjected to those same penalties.

It's not weird it's OPPRESSION! BIG, HUGE difference.

Like kainy said , educate yourself!

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11. EclipseGSX posted on 30 Jan 2012, 11:43 6 1

all he said was that its weird, which it is. hes not disputing the fact, why the hate?

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13. vishu9 posted on 30 Jan 2012, 12:44 4 1

forget weird bro.. To ban mobiles for political propaganda? Thats the heights of stupidity!

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14. systamatics posted on 30 Jan 2012, 13:20 3 4

and yet , the usa wanted to liberate iraq a fairly much much better freedom having country , they should have invaded north korea and freed their peopl , they would have earned my respect , oh wait , North Korea has no oil there!

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18. iHateCrapple posted on 31 Jan 2012, 15:22 1

Stop beating the "oil horse" you hippy.

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2. Galen20K posted on 30 Jan 2012, 06:46 5 1

omg.... that is insane! what is WRONG with those people over there, I mean SERIOUSLY. No wonder why they hate any other countries who may be free. North Korea is in desperate need of a Revolution,,

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4. kainy posted on 30 Jan 2012, 07:04 5

Everything is monitored ... if someone talks against the regime the person suddenly disappears or is charged with something. I really don't have any idea why the whole world isn't stepping up ( i mean the EU, the states, Russia and so on)

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5. Nick_T posted on 30 Jan 2012, 07:51 4

Because their former leader was (appeared) crazy enough to launch nukes at whichever country he pleased.

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7. kainy posted on 30 Jan 2012, 08:21

Witch means that if someone rises... it will be shot on sight that was my point...

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8. Arpad posted on 30 Jan 2012, 08:44 6

It has been operational since 2009 and currently covers 91 percent of the country.

covers 91 percent "of the populated part" of the country, (estimate 30-40% of total area)

Mobile phones for DPRK is more important for them then for us. After the collapse of the food distribution system the country is surviving mostly from illegal smuggling / trading from china. They smuggle food and goods cross Yalu river. This is made possible thanks to mobile phones as they can use the chines service providers for communication near the northern border.

This ban will simply kill more North Koreans.

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9. darac posted on 30 Jan 2012, 08:53 3

arpad - finally a smart comment here

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10. squallz506 posted on 30 Jan 2012, 11:00 2

this is the least of that nation's problems. Kim Jong Un is unfit for rule.

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15. Exofuji posted on 30 Jan 2012, 14:21 1

Well the good news is he probably wont actually rule... The bad news is it will probably be one of Kim Jong Il's inner circle. Whos just as bad.

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12. ryq24 posted on 30 Jan 2012, 12:11 1 1

that's weird but expected from this type of country. how ironic, south korea's samsung is one of the biggest maker of cellphones while their northern counterpart bans the use of said devices.

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16. Jodabro posted on 30 Jan 2012, 16:53

The real news here is that they have cell phones. Who or where are they getting them? If they were soley dependent of making everything in their own country they would fade away. The state of life there is horrible, brain washed people, ruled by fear. No nation is going to rise up against them as long as they are a real threat with their nukes. If the world would unite against them, cutting off trade and supplies the nation would die. They need minerals to make their electronics don't they? They don't have an once of love for us, pure hatred because of the propoganda. Our simpathy toward their situation will be our downfall.

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17. spinelessrabbit posted on 30 Jan 2012, 17:08 1 1

lol and you pretend that theses oblivious americans are not brainwashed and everything is so unbiased with western propaganda, then you really have no clue whats going on!

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19. iHateCrapple posted on 31 Jan 2012, 15:27 1

Depending on how you look at things...EVERYTHING IS BIASED! And no, not everyone is oblivious to it. It's all right though, you can spit on my countrys name and get away with it, because you have the freedom to do that. You caught that right? FREEDOM. The kind we stand up for...your welcome! :)

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