North Koreans read reports about the country’s leader Kim Jong-un’s arrival in Vietnam for his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump by using a smartphone in Pyongyang, in this photo released by Kyodo on Feb. 27, 2019. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

 

For some North Korean defectors, freedom begins upon arriving in South Korea. And for those at Hanawon, the government-run resettlement education center, it fits in the palm of their hand — a smartphone.

 

“Being able to use my own smartphone at Hanawon really helped me adjust to life here and keep up with my studies,” a North Korean refugee in her 40s, who only provided her surname Go, told the Korea JoongAng Daily last week. Go said she spends time online searching for health tips, preparing for her driver’s license test or simply satisfying her curiosity.

 


“It’s refreshing to be able to learn anything right on the spot,” she said.

 

Since January, defectors at Hanawon have been given their own smartphones to use freely. Hanawon helps the refugees, or, as the Ministry of Unification prefers to call them, “North Korean-born citizens,” adjust to life in South Korea, covering both socioeconomic integration and the principles of a liberal democracy. The institution’s full name is Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees.

 

Hanawon introduced the smartphone initiative to help ease the anxiety and isolation often experienced by trainees. The move came after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young called for such efforts late last year, upon hearing from defectors that they wanted personal smartphones.

 

North Korean defectors attend a computer lab class at Hanawon, a government-run resettlement education center in Anseong, Gyeonggi, on July 10, 2023. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

 

The measure was enthusiastically welcomed by trainees. Designated a high-security government facility and located in the secluded countryside with branches in Anseong, Gyeonggi, and Hwacheon, Gangwon, Hanawon limits excursions or visits by outsiders due to safety reasons, which can leave many facility residents feeling lonely in their spare time.

 

Since the implementation, trainees have mainly used smartphones for internet browsing, watching videos or listening to music on YouTube, using messenger apps such as KakaoTalk and speaking on the phone with family members or acquaintances, according to the institution.

 

Currently, some 50 trainees have been provided with smartphones.

 

“So far, there have been no issues, and we’ve mainly seen benefits overall,” Yoo Beom-gon, a government official at Hanawon’s education and training division, told the Korea JoongAng Daily. “The goal was to allow the trainees to learn about how to use the smartphone to access information in their everyday lives, and it has naturally progressed in that direction. It’s been rewarding.”

 

The Ministry of Unification recognized the initiative as a success, naming the officials in charge, including Yoo, employees of the month for March and awarding them prize money.

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversees a test launch of the new Hwasong-18 solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile on July 12, 2023, where an object believed to be a foldable smartphone, shown inside the red circle, was spotted, in this image provided by the Korean Central News Agency. [YONHAP]

 


Adjusting to a new norm





As most defectors enter South Korea via a third country such as China, they tend to be familiar with using smartphones. The stark contrast lies in the cultural aspects.

 

“We’ve been instructing the trainees on the regulations of using a smartphone inside the institution grounds,” Yoo said, adding that they are taught the rules of etiquette: talking quietly when making a phone call in public, putting the phone on silent mode during class and not leaking classified information, such as Hanawon’s curriculum.

 

“Thankfully, they understand exactly why such rules exist and are adhering to them faithfully.”

 

Another guideline is to ensure trainees don’t make purchases that incur additional charges, such as games.

 

“It’s not only a matter of budget [taxes], but also about forming good habits they need in life,” Yoo said. “We aim to help them develop responsible usage habits, so they don’t incur excessive charges when they later sign up for mobile plans after leaving Hanawon.”

 

Hanawon is also providing digital literacy education, particularly on cross-checking sources and verifying information, when using generative AI.

 

A Hanawon official introduces the government-run resettlement education center’s IT experience center during a press day event in Anseong, Gyeonggi, on July 10, 2023. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

 

While Hanawon has always allowed trainees to use smartphones during classes, they were collected at the end of each lesson. It’s the first time they are given individual devices during Hanawon’s three-month curriculum.

 

The new rule is that when it’s time for trainees to leave after completing Hanawon’s program, they return their smartphones, and the institution discards the USIM and resets the phone to factory settings.

 

Numerous security and privacy concerns had to be carefully addressed before the rollout. As trainees are still in the process of establishing new identities in South Korea — such as obtaining resident registration numbers or opening bank accounts — the lack of such information made it difficult to activate phones and set up mobile service plans.

 

Hanawon was able to resolve this issue through cooperation with the Ministry of Science and ICT and mobile carrier companies, which allowed the phones to be set up under Hanawon’s name rather than the trainees’. Defectors did not have to provide their personal information to the carriers either, as their smartphones were granted exceptions to be managed under separate account numbers.

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong, left, is seen holding a smartphone resembling the Magic V3 model released by Chinese brand Honor, right, in a photo from the completion ceremony of the Kusong City Hospital in North Pyongan Province, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 14, 2025. [YONHAP, HONOR]

 


Inside the North’s walled garden





Three current Hanawon trainees told the Korea JoongAng Daily that they had virtually no access to smartphones while living in the North. Only one defector in his 30s, who provided only his surname, Jang, said he used a smartphone that more closely resembled a feature phone.

 

“The smartphone I did encounter in North Korea in 2017 had much more limited functions — only phone calls, texting and taking photographs or videos with the camera,” Jang said. “There was no internet [connectivity] or AI. I did hear that the range of applications has become more diverse recently.”

 


A recent report on North Korean smartphones by NK TechLab, a U.S.-based research center analyzing North Korea’s use of technology, said that users can now access a wide range of everyday services, including news, weather, medical services, video streaming, games, online shopping and navigation.

 

The definition of a smartphone in North Korea differs from that in the rest of the world — such phones connect to a strictly controlled intranet called Kwangmyong, effectively isolating users from the global internet. Only resident foreigners have internet access and cannot connect to the North’s walled garden.

 

North Korean smartphones made by a manufacturer named Madusan are shown during a Korean Central Television program on June 18, 2025. The products were shown to feature a quad-camera setup with four lenses on the back. [YONHAP]

 

Another Hanawon trainee in her 30s, surnamed Lee, said that while living in North Korea, she had never heard of a smartphone, let alone even used a telephone, noting that she had escaped a long time ago. She did not disclose the year she defected for personal reasons, but the first smartphones reportedly appeared in the North around 2013.

 

Go said she only used a payphone at the post office or privately run landline services, referring to
jangmadang (local markets in North Korea) vendors who charge by the minute for phone use.

 

There were roughly 5.79 million mobile broadband subscriptions in North Korea in 2024, according to data from the International Telecommunications Union. Considering that the North Korean population that year was estimated to be 26.5 million, about 22 percent of the population was believed to use smartphones, though the subscription figure does not reflect individual users. Smartphone penetration in South Korea stood at 88.38 percent in 2025, according to Statista data.

 


A recent report by 38 North, a U.S.-based news outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, noted that the smartphone market in North Korea has expanded significantly in recent years. While there were only a handful of brands almost two decades ago, there are now at least 24 domestic brands competing, suggesting the market continues to grow.

 

While they’re no longer exclusive to the elite, smartphones are still considered a status symbol.

 

“They ranged from low-end devices priced at about $20 to high-end ones costing between $500 and $600. The types of phones people used would often reflect differences in wealth,” Jang said.

 

“I heard from an acquaintance around 2024 that North Korean women who are of marriageable age would jokingly say they’d marry any man who gifted them a mobile phone,” Go said.

 

North Korean foldable smartphones made by a manufacturer named Madusan are shown during a Korean Central Television program on June 18, 2025. The products were shown to feature a dual front camera and a triple rear camera, for a total of five lenses. [YONHAP]

 


A window to the world





Watching YouTube videos and using generative AI tools, such as Gemini and ChatGPT, were the trainees’ most common smartphone activities.

 

As most Hanawon trainees are middle-aged refugees, Yoo said that trot music was popular, especially that by singers Jang Yoon-jeong and Lim Young-woong.

 

“I like to listen to music or watch comedy videos on YouTube while I work out,” trainee Jang said. “I’m also interested in international news and studying English, so I watch a lot of CNN as well. I ask Gemini or ChatGPT any questions I have.”

 

Lee also listens to music and has been studying Korean history on YouTube.

 

North Koreans look at smartphones during the light industrial goods exhibition ″Development of Light Industry-2025,″ which opened on Oct. 9, 2025, at the Light Industry Hall of the Three-Revolution Exhibition House, according to a Korean Central Television report on Oct. 15, 2025. [YONHAP]

 

She added that she feels less anxious when contacting her family, now that she has the liberty to do so. In North Korea, where digital surveillance is pervasive, the regime’s Ministry of State Security monitors smartphone users and eavesdrops on conversations, using software that randomly captures screenshots, along with a digital signature system that blocks unauthorized apps and restricts access to unapproved media.

 

“Getting my own smartphone at Hanawon has led me to reflect about things like global news, different ways of life and the freedom of the press, through YouTube and other platforms,” Lee said.

 

Hanawon offers weekend programs that encourage trainees to pursue hobbies such as crafts and sports, as well as opportunities to practice religion or receive legal advice from experts.

 

So when the Korea JoongAng Daily asked whether providing them with smartphones had led to a decline in participation, Yoo firmly denied it. Rather, it’s helped improve their overall experiences in such activities.

 

“Giving our trainees their own phones enables them to be more proactive,” Yoo said. “The biggest response we’ve received from them is that they can do so much more now, and it’s true. They have far more options, as it opens up many more ways to learn and explore.”

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [[email protected]]