DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
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sets, unless altered, received only domestic programming; radios obtained from
abroad were altered for the same end. Elite citizens and facilities for foreigners,
such as hotels, had access to international television broadcasts via satellite. The
government continued attempts to jam all foreign radio broadcasts, but the
HRNK’s Digital Trenches: North Korea’s Information Counter-Offensive noted a
proliferation of foreign broadcasting transmitters had in recent years begun to
overwhelm the jamming effort. Officials imprisoned and punished citizens for
listening to foreign radio or watching foreign television broadcasts and, in some
cases, for simply owning radio or television sets able to receive nongovernment
broadcasts.
National Security: Defector and NGO reports included accounts of individuals
detained and punished, including by execution, for antistate crimes such as
criticism of the government and Kim Jong Un.
Internet Freedom
Internet access was limited to high-ranking officials and other designated elites,
including selected university students. In December 2019 the HRNK reported that
the government maintained complete visibility of all network traffic. The Korea
Computer Center, which acts as the government’s gatekeeper to the internet,
granted access only to information it deemed acceptable, and employees constantly
monitored users’ screens.
A tightly controlled and regulated intranet was reportedly available to a growing
group of users centered in Pyongyang, including an elite primary school; selected
research institutions, universities, and factories; and a few individuals. The NGO
Reporters without Borders reported some email access existed through this internal
network. Government employees sometimes had limited, closely monitored access
to email accounts. The 3G cell phone network was described by the HRNK in an
October report as antiquated and limiting users’ access to an internal intranet. The
HRNK separately reported that the government installed monitoring programs on
every smartphone and tablet that, among other things, log every webpage visited
and randomly take undeletable screenshots.
The government continued its attempt to limit foreign influence on its citizens.
Individuals accused of viewing or possessing foreign films were reportedly
subjected to imprisonment and possibly execution. According to KINU’s white
paper for 2019, defectors reported varying penalties for consuming South Korean
media ranging from three to 10 years in a correctional labor prison, as well as
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2020
United States Department of State • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor