North Korea's Hyang 701 phone screenshots users every 5 minutes
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A North Korean smartphone smuggled out of the country reveals a hidden surveillance system that captures a screenshot every five minutes. The Hyang 701 device, examined by a Wall Street Journal reporter and a defected soldier, stores encrypted images inaccessible to the user. The phone also blocks Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, restricting users to the state-controlled Kwangmyong network.
Key Facts
- The Hyang 701 phone automatically captures a screenshot every five minutes while powered on.
- Screenshots are stored in an encrypted, undeletable folder hidden from the user's gallery app.
- The device disables Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, allowing connection only to the state-run Kwangmyong intranet.
- The phone's software automatically replaces the word 'South Korea' with regime-approved terms like 'Puppet State' or 'Southern Half'.
- The phone was smuggled out of North Korea in 2023 with support from human rights groups and Seoul-based Daily NK.
Hidden Surveillance System
The Hyang 701 phone, examined by Wall Street Journal reporter Dasl Yoon and a defected North Korean soldier, contains a covert background tracking software. The software captures a screenshot every five minutes while the phone is powered on. These screenshots are stored in an encrypted, undeletable folder that the user cannot access through the gallery app. Experts say the purpose is to provide retrospective evidence during sudden police checks of whether the user viewed prohibited content.
Network Isolation and Censorship
The device is completely isolated from the global internet, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips disabled or programmed to detect only state-approved local signals. Users can only connect to the Kwangmyong intranet, which offers state media, approved propaganda sites, pro-regime e-books, and limited local services. The phone's software scans every keystroke and automatically replaces the word 'South Korea' with regime terms such as 'Puppet State' or 'Southern Half'. Writing South Korean pop culture terms triggers an immediate security warning and blocks the word.
Smuggling and Exposure
The phone was smuggled out of North Korea in 2023 with support from human rights organizations and Seoul-based Daily NK. The device reveals how the Kim Jong Un regime has turned consumer electronics into a surveillance weapon.
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North Korea's Hyang 701 phone screenshots users every 5 minutes
