A Chinese entrepreneur, evidently exploring joint ventures with North Korea, recently made headlines by revealing the interior of a smartphone factory during his visit to the country.
The businessman, who appears to be based in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, shared a video titled “Investigation and Research of North Korean Mobile Phone Factory” on his social media account on Wednesday.
The footage shows North Korean workers in light blue uniforms and plastic caps, seated at workstations in front of monitors. Another segment of the video displays smartphones that seem to have been manufactured at this facility.
The name “Checom Technology Joint Venture” is visible at the bottom of the product manuals. This company is known for producing North Korea’s flagship smartphone series, “Pyongyang.” The video showcases the latest models, including the “Pyongyang 2435,” as well as tablet PCs.
The factory also features amenities such as a staff cafeteria, swimming pool, badminton court, and basketball court.
According to the “2024 North Korean Broadcasting and Communication Usage Research Report” published by the Korea Information Society Development Institute, mobile phone production in North Korea is exclusively managed by the Checom Technology Joint Venture, under the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (now the Ministry of Information Industry), due to security concerns.
The Pyongyang series debuted with the Pyongyang 2404 in 2012 and has seen subsequent upgrades: the Pyongyang 2405 and Pyongyang 2417 in 2016, followed by the Pyongyang 2419, Pyongyang 2423, and Pyongyang 2425 in 2019, and Pyongyang 2428 in 2020. Although the design has remained largely consistent, improvements have been made to the operating system (OS), memory, and camera features.
The report highlights that North Korea’s production and branding processes are separate. Checom handles manufacturing, while other companies such as Mangyongdae Information Technology Corporation and Arirang Information Technology Exchange Agency manage brand development and sales.
The Chinese businessman’s keen interest in North Korean ventures was evident as he posted video footage of his visits to the Daeseong Department Store and the Taedonggang River Cruise Restaurant, where he met with North Korean business representatives. This suggests potential discussions between North Korea and China regarding various cooperative projects and Chinese investments.