April 23, 2024
News

North Korea shut down cellphone network twice on Saturday

First shutdown took place during military parade and may have been for security reasons

North Korean authorities turned off the nation’s Koryolink cellphone network twice last Saturday as part of tight security procedures for events surrounding the 105th anniversary of the birth of DPRK founding President Kim Il Sung, NK News has learned.

The suspension of the network is notable: cellular shut-downs in the DPRK are relatively rare, with a senior Koryolink technical director telling NK News in 2015 that he had been instructed to fully turn off the network on only two occasions during his time working in the country.

Become a member for less than $4 per week.

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.