By Le Figaro with AFP
Posted 22 minutes ago
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. STR / AFP
Photos show the North Korean leader holding a mobile phone, while sanctions prevent Pyongyang from importing or exporting electronic devices.
While North Korea was monitoring the launch of a new ballistic missile this week, it was a different object of speculation on Thursday. Photos published by North Korea’s official daily Rodong Sinmun show the North Korean leader overseeing the launch of the new long-range ballistic missile. And in front of him, on the table next to a blue can, was a collapsible phone.
The device secretly imported from China?
The silver phone, housed in a black leather case, appears to resemble either the South Korean Samsung Galaxy Z Flip model or the Chinese manufacturer Huawei’s Pocket S. That it has attracted so much attention is because North Korea is barred from importing and exporting electronic devices due to international sanctions.
Kim Jong-un’s Mystery Phone. KCNA/via Portal
The photos have therefore fueled a lot of comments and speculation about the origin of this smartphone and its arrival in North Korea. “If the object in the photo is a foldable smartphone, it is very likely that it was secretly smuggled into North Korea from China,” writes the South Korean daily Joongang Ilbo.
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The North Korean leader’s interest in electronic devices is not new. He was often photographed surrounded by products from the American manufacturer Apple, including MacBook computers and iPad tablets. A privilege in the country, while barely 19% of North Korea’s population has access to cell phones, according to the CIA.