Domestic North Korean brands are behind several new smartphones that have recently appeared in citizens’ hands, according to NK News analysis of state media, while leader Kim Jong Un has started using a likely Chinese foldable phone.
The reveal of new models from the DPRK brands Samthaesong and Manmulsang provides the latest evidence that the domestic electronics industry has rebounded, after going dark early in the pandemic.
Domestic North Korean brands are behind several new smartphones that have recently appeared in citizens’ hands, according to NK News analysis of state media, while leader Kim Jong Un has started using a likely Chinese foldable phone.
The reveal of new models from the DPRK brands Samthaesong and Manmulsang provides the latest evidence that the domestic electronics industry has rebounded, after going dark early in the pandemic.
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Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. He joined the company in 2018 after receiving a master's degree in international security and foreign policy from South Korea's Yonsei University. Follow him on Twitter.