NK News (file) | North Korean children playing video games at the Songdowon international children's camp in Wonsan on April 17, 2008
In recent years, smartphones have become as ubiquitous in Pyongyang as they are in most cities around the world. Locals take calls, send texts and swipe through home screens populated with regime-approved apps, all on imported devices running outdated Android software.
They also do something that few associate with one of the poorest and most repressive countries in the world — play video games.
In recent years, smartphones have become as ubiquitous in Pyongyang as they are in most cities around the world. Locals take calls, send texts and swipe through home screens populated with regime-approved apps, all on imported devices running outdated Android software.
They also do something that few associate with one of the poorest and most repressive countries in the world — play video games.
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Oliver Jia is a Kyoto-based graduate student currently pursuing his PhD in international relations at Ritsumeikan University and a regular contributor to NK News. He previously worked as Social Media Editor for Korea Risk Group. His research focuses on Japan-DPRK relations and comparative foreign policy. Follow him on Twitter.