North Korea’s covert infatuation with Apple was once again brought to light on September 21. A photograph published by North Korean media showcased a computer that bears a striking resemblance to the design of American tech giant Apple’s desktop computer, the iMac.
In the September issue of Geumsugangsan, a monthly magazine serving as North Korea’s external propaganda outlet, an article spotlighted the Blue Sky Trading Company, an electronics manufacturer.
According to Kumsonggangsan, electronic devices and Information Technology (IT) products bearing the Blue Sky brand have been gaining popularity domestically. The magazine shared several photos of the company’s operations, suggesting that Blue Sky Trading Company produces a range of devices, including smartphones, Televisions (TVs), laptops, and desktop computers.
One particular image published by Kumsonggangsan depicted Blue Sky Trading Company employees in a meeting, with a computer that bears an uncanny resemblance to Apple’s iMac featured prominently.
The iMac’s distinctive all-in-one design sets it apart from conventional desktop personal computers (PCs), making it instantly recognizable. Blue Sky’s product mirrors the iMac’s sleek aesthetic, sporting a silvery-white, aluminum-like finish on both the monitor and stand. The overall form factor is remarkably similar, with one notable difference: where Apple’s iconic logo would typically appear, the Blue Sky emblem is displayed instead.
This is not the first time that Apple-inspired technology has surfaced in North Korea. The country’s homegrown computer operating system (OS), Red Star 3.0, features a user interface where basic applications are arranged in a single row at the bottom center of the screen, eerily reminiscent of Apple’s macOS dock.
In 2017, eyebrows were raised when Myohyang IT Company brazenly released a tablet under the name iPad. More recently, in 2019, the Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published a photo showing staff at Ryugyong Dental Hospital receiving training on computers that bear a striking resemblance to iMacs.
Evidence also suggests that authentic Apple products have found their way into North Korea. A 2013 photograph from a Supreme Command operational meeting attended by Kim Jong Un clearly showed an iMac. The unmistakable Apple logo was visible on the back of the monitor, and its design was consistent with that of genuine iMacs, leading experts to conclude that it was indeed an authentic Apple product.