At home, access to the global internet is very restricted, not to say non-existent. So, North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia found themselves, for the first time, with unlimited access to the web. What did they do then? Consume large doses of pornography.
North Korean soldiers consume pornography in barda
It is true to say that the forbidden fruit is indeed the most desired. According to journalist Gideon Rachman, from the Financial Times newspaper, North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia allegedly accessed the internet without restrictions for the first time, with many using this new freedom to watch pornography in barda.
A generally reliable source tells me that the North Korean soldiers who were sent to Russia have never had unrestricted access to the internet before. As a result, they are consuming pornography in large quantities.
Rachman published on his account on the social network X.
A usually reliable source tells me that the North Korean soldiers who have deployed to Russia have never had unfettered access to the internet before. As a result, they are gorging on pornography.
— Gideon Rachman (@gideonrachman) November 5, 2024
This level of internet access represents a significant change for North Korean troops, who are accustomed to tight digital control in their home country.
In response to these reports, US Department of Defense spokesman Army Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz told the military publication Task & Purpose that "as funny as it may seem, I cannot confirm any of the North Koreans' internet habits or their virtual 'extracurricular activities' in Russia."
The official also emphasized that the Pentagon's focus remains on "the most serious aspects of North Korea's involvement, if any, in Russia's military operations." When asked about internet access, he simply said that "this is an issue that should be addressed to Moscow."
This situation illustrates how North Korean soldiers' interaction with the outside world, especially through internet access, can pose a challenge to the North Korean regime's digital censorship practices and the way the Pyongyang government controls information. and the activities of its citizens.
North Korean soldiers in Russia got access to the Internet for the first time and became addicted to pornography
Very restricted access at home
In North Korea, internet access is extremely restricted, reflecting the government's strict control over communication and information in the country. THE Most North Korean citizens do not have access to the global webbut rather to a national intranet called "Kwangmyong".
This network is a closed and highly censored version of the internetwhere only a limited number of state-controlled websites are available, with content that promotes the regime's ideology and censors external information.
Only a restricted elite, made up of senior government officials and some researchers, have controlled access to the global internet, and even these users are subject to intense surveillance.
The import of devices that can access the global internet is strictly monitored and the use of devices with external communication capabilities, such as smartphones with Western technology, is limited and controlled.
To prevent North Korean citizens from accessing foreign content, the government also blocks radio and television signals from neighboring countries, especially South Korea. Any attempt to circumvent these restrictions is severely punished, potentially leading to long prison sentences or even forced labor in re-education camps.
These measures reflect the North Korean regime's effort to isolate the population from external influences and maintain absolute ideological control.
The lack of access to global information keeps North Korean citizens in an isolated reality, where state propaganda is practically the only narrative available, which reinforces indoctrination and makes any form of opposition or criticism of the government difficult.
Source: pplware.sapo.pt
