Video surveillance software made by Chinese state-owned industry leader Hikvision appears to be in use across schools and workplaces in North Korea, NK News has found.

With CCTV systems installed at schools, factories, power stations, and shops being shown off more frequently in DPRK state media, a range of monitoring interfaces, including Hikvision software, has appeared.  

Calling itself the “world’s largest video surveillance manufacturer,” equipment from the brand’s maker Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd was banned by the U.S. in 2018 from being purchased by government agencies due to security implications of the company’s state-owned status.

In May of