How North Koreans access the real internet

While modern society has known North Korea for its isolationist policies, the so-called hermit kingdom is not completely cut off from the rest of the world. Perhaps still unbeknownst to some, the upper half of the Korean Peninsula does have internet — albeit only accessed by a few and one that looks much smaller from the World Wide Web we virtually live in.

What North Korean internet looks like: To understand just how much North Koreans can possibly know about the world through a computer, it is important to distinguish the two online connections available to them. Kwangmyong — which translates to “bright star” — is the country’s officially sanctioned intranet. An intranet is a private network that only users within an organization can access. As this is the case, data is carefully controlled.

In 2015, Vox reported that Kwangmyong looked like the internet in 1994, running only basic email and browser tools that are restricted to pre-selected “sites” ripped and censored from the actual internet. The following year, the BBC described North Korean websites as “quite unsophisticated” and “can be painfully slow to load.”

The real internet is also available in North Korea, but primarily only to its elite citizens. These are reportedly families with direct ties to Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Unsurprisingly, the number of North Korea’s internet users can only be estimated. Some cap the number at a few thousand if non-elites who require the internet for their jobs are to be counted.

What they use it for: The elites able to get their hands on the real internet have unrestricted access, according to a recent report by the People for Successful Corean Reunification (Pscore), a South Korean non-government organization. Meanwhile, the others with internet access — government officials, researchers, technical specialists, IT students and media professionals involved in propaganda work — are reportedly confined to a version with heavy…

Read the full article here

Have a news tip for The Proud Asian? Submit your news tip or article here.

NextShark.com

The leading source for Asian American news covering culture, issues, entertainment, politics and more.

Amanda Nguyen Goes To Space

by Mochi Magazine

Jul 11, 2025 9:00 am EDT

Being an astronaut is one of those dream jobs children aspire to. However, this out-of-this-world ambition often gets traded for...

Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor’s G.R.I.P. Program Reflects Asian American Values of Community and Redemption

by admin

Jul 9, 2025 8:59 pm EDT

The above photo was collected from the Gwinnett County Sheriff Office Facebook. By: A.G. Arjun, Writer In Gwinnett County, where...

The Ultimate Guide to Asian American Science Fiction Authors

by Mochi Magazine

Jul 7, 2025 9:00 am EDT

Discover Proudly Amplifies Voices from a Wide Range of Perspectives .The author’s content and opinions have not been pre-reviewed, approved,...

What to Watch in July

by Mochi Magazine

Jul 3, 2025 9:00 am EDT

“Ice Road: Vengeance”FilmJuly 1, 2025On the road to Mount Everest, big rig driver Mike McCann (Liam Neeson) takes on ruthless...

How North Koreans access the real internet

Amanda Nguyen Goes To Space

Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor’s G.R.I.P. Program Reflects Asian American Values of Community and Redemption

The Ultimate Guide to Asian American Science Fiction Authors

What to Watch in July

Welcome Back!

Retrieve your password

How North Koreans access the real internet

NextShark.com

Related Stories

Amanda Nguyen Goes To Space

Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor’s G.R.I.P. Program Reflects Asian American Values of Community and Redemption

The Ultimate Guide to Asian American Science Fiction Authors

What to Watch in July

Welcome Back!

Retrieve your password