In a chilling revelation underscoring the extent of North Korea’s surveillance state, recent reports confirm that domestically manufactured smartphones in the country are programmed to take secret screenshots at regular intervals. This covert monitoring feature, discovered by defectors and digital analysts, sheds new light on the regime’s expansive efforts to control and scrutinize its citizens’ digital lives.
According to investigative findings from South Korean researchers and defectors, North Korean smartphones—typically built with a highly customized Android operating system—are engineered to automatically capture screen activity every few minutes. These screenshots are then silently stored or transmitted to government monitoring servers, enabling authorities to review users’ activities in near real-time.
The surveillance function is not visible or accessible to users. The software, embedded deep within the phone’s operating system, operates independently of user permissions and cannot be disabled without triggering system malfunctions. This means ordinary citizens have no way of knowing that their activity is constantly being recorded.
This revelation has triggered global concern among digital rights groups. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the practice, highlighting it as another stark example of Pyongyang’s extreme control over its population. “North Koreans have no digital privacy, and now it’s clear they are being watched even more invasively than previously believed,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch.
Domestically produced phones like the “Pyongyang 2423” and “Arirang” series are designed to isolate users from the global internet. These devices are restricted to the country’s intranet, known as “Kwangmyong,” and come pre-installed with government-approved apps. Third-party apps or foreign content are strictly prohibited. The screenshot feature now adds another layer of control, potentially allowing authorities to detect and punish users who attempt to access prohibited media or communicate with the outside world.
Experts believe the secret screenshot mechanism is part of a broader surveillance strategy. In 2023, a UN report documented increased digital censorship in North Korea, including mandatory phone inspections, automated keyword detection in text messages, and enhanced GPS tracking.
Former North Korean citizens have also come forward to share their experiences. “I was scared to even open an app that wasn’t official. You never know what the phone is recording or when,” said one defector now residing in South Korea, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns.
