Internet access
Internet access is the ability of individuals and organizations to connect to the Internet using computer terminals, computers, and other devices; and to access services such as email and the World Wide Web. Internet access is sold by Internet ...
is available in
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
, but is only permitted with special authorization. It is primarily used for government purposes, and also by foreigners. The country has some
broadband
In telecommunications, broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types, that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections. ...
infrastructure, including
fiber optic
An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to ...
links between major institutions. Online services for most individuals and institutions are provided through a free
domestic-only network known as
Kwangmyong, with access to the global Internet limited to a much smaller group.
Service providers and access
Internet access in North Korea is available from
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise private ...
Star Joint Venture Co., a joint venture between the North Korean government's
Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and Thailand-based
Loxley Pacific. Star JV took control of North Korea's Internet address allocation on 21 December 2009. Prior to Star JV, Internet access was available only via a
satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...
link to Germany, or for some government uses through direct connections with
China Unicom
China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd. () or China Unicom () (CUniq in short) is a Chinese state-owned telecommunications operator. Started as a wireless paging and GSM mobile operator, it currently provides a range of services in ...
. Nearly all of North Korea's Internet traffic is routed through China.
[Pagliery, Jose (December 22, 2014)]
"A peek into North Korea's Internet".
''CNN''. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
Since February 2013, foreigners have been able to access the Internet using the
3G telecommunications network provided by
Koryolink
Koryolink ( ko, 고려링크, styled as koryolink) is a North Korean wireless telecommunications provider. The company is a cellular operator held by Cheo Technology, a joint venture between Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding (OTMT) whi ...
.
Permission to access the Internet remains tightly restricted. However, the IT industry has been growing and Internet access is gradually increasing within North Korea. In October 2010, the website of the
Korean Central News Agency
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) is the state news agency of North Korea. The agency portrays the views of the North Korean government for both domestic and foreign consumption. It was established on December 5, 1946 and now features onlin ...
went live from a web server hosted in North Korea. It i
accessible globally on a North Korean IP address, marking the country's first known direct connection to the Internet. Around the same time, on 9 October, journalists visiting
Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
for the
Workers' Party's 65th anniversary celebrations were given access to a press room with Internet connectivity.
, 1,024
IP addresses
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.. Updated by . An IP address serves two main functions: network interface ident ...
were known to exist in North Korea, although ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' journalists
David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger (born July 5, 1960) is an American journalist who is the chief Washington correspondent for ''The New York Times''. A 1982 graduate of Harvard College, Sanger has been writing for the ''Times'' for 30 years covering foreign policy, ...
and Nicole Perlroth believe that the actual number may be higher.
The total number of Internet users is estimated at no more than a few thousand.
People who can access the global Internet without limits are claimed to be high-ranking officials, members of
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
s (NGOs), and government ambassadors.
[Tae-jun Kang (August 14, 2014)]
"Wi-Fi Access Sparks Housing Boom in Pyongyang."
''The Diplomat
''The Diplomat'' is an international online news magazine covering politics, society, and culture in the Indo-Pacific region. It is based in Washington, D.C.
It was originally an Australian bi-monthly print magazine, founded by Minh Bui Jones ...
''
Some access is allowed in North Korea's academic institutions. Professors and graduate students can access the Internet at the
Pyongyang University of Science and Technology
Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) is North Korea's first privately funded university. It is founded, operated, and partly funded by associations and people outside the country. PUST was jointly planned and constructed by forc ...
through a computer lab, for instance. Access through this channel is monitored. In fact, as of 2007, many of the North Koreans with access to the global Internet were tasked only with retrieving scientific and technical information which could then be posted to the national intranet.
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il (; ; ; born Yuri Irsenovich Kim;, 16 February 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second supreme leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. He led North Korea from the 1994 death of his father Kim ...
told a visiting North Korean