‘Oppa' becomes ‘comrade' & screenshots every 5 minutes: What phone smuggled out of North Korea reveals
A video investigation by the BBC has shown how smartphones in North Korea are tightly controlled by the state, leaving no room for private use or access to outside information.
The phone analysed by the BBC was smuggled out of North Korea in late 2024. It runs on a modified version of Android that blocks internet access completely and only allows users to connect to a local intranet called Kwangmyong. This network only hosts information approved by the North Korean government.
🇰🇵 A phone belonging to a North Korean citizen was seized.
– When typing 'South Korea' on the keyboard, it changes to 'Puppet State.'
– Every 5 minutes, a screenshot is taken and sent to the government. pic.twitter.com/XRz4FPwReK
— Foster 🦅🇳🇬🏴 (@F_JONHSON) June 1, 2025
Experts who studied the device say that it automatically rewrites text to match government language. For example, if someone types 'South Korea,' the phone changes it to 'puppet state,' which is North Korea's official term for its neighbour. Similarly, typing 'oppa'—a common South Korean word for an older brother or boyfriend—brings up a warning. The phone tells users: 'This word can only be used to describe your siblings.' It then replaces the word with 'comrade.'
One of the more serious findings is that the phone secretly takes a screenshot every five minutes. These images are saved in a hidden folder that users cannot see, but which the authorities can access. Any attempt to modify the phone or use it to access outside content is treated as a crime.
The BBC report highlights how the North Korean government uses such technology to promote its political beliefs and control how people communicate. A tech analyst in the report said, 'It's not just about blocking the internet. It's about rewriting the way people think and speak.'
North Korea and South Korea have remained hostile since the Korean War ended in 1953 with no peace treaty. Pyongyang continues to view the South as a breakaway region and maintains strict control over any information that might challenge that view.
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