Overseas DPRK officials "use S.Korean smart phones"

The Chosunilbo reported that the DPRK officials posted overseas secretly use smartphones made in South Korea, the Daily NK reported Monday quoting a source in China.

The news outlet said DPRK officials and security agents who act as minders of overseas workers use Samsung or LG smartphones although they ban their charges from using any smartphones.

Some of them are keenly trawl the web without permission from their superiors.

"They want to find out on the Internet what the outside world thinks about the Pyongyang regime," the source said. "They latch onto news about the North no matter how small."

But most agents use Chinese-made smartphones because they fear that their own information could be leaked to South Korea if they use South Korean phones, according to another source.

Workers also often clandestinely use smartphones and are susceptible to propaganda targeting them.

(THE CHOSUNILBO)