North Korea has recently expanded the distribution of information technology (IT)-based reading programs to encourage reading among its citizens. However, analysts said on June 17 that the initiative also reflects efforts to strengthen ideological education and loyalty to the regime, suggesting that the country’s unique system of social control is increasingly extending into the digital sphere.
According to the Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, various reading-related IT products, including the youth educational reading program “Passion,” have been receiving positive responses from users. The newspaper reported that the program allows users to browse book information, purchase books through the country’s mobile communications network, and access summaries of newly published titles.
The newspaper also highlighted a discussion platform on the state-run data communications network where users can share book reviews and engage in discussions, claiming that it has boosted enthusiasm for reading. It noted that readers have recently been actively posting reviews of the biographical novel Marshal Hyon Chol Hae, with many expressing their determination to “carry out the leader’s intentions and vision.” Hyon Chol Hae served as a mentor to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his succession period.
North Korea has increasingly expanded digital services such as smartphones, domestic intranet networks, and electronic libraries in recent years. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, use of the state-controlled data communications network has grown, contributing to greater digitization in education and cultural sectors.
However, observers caution that the initiative is not solely aimed at promoting reading. The regime has emphasized that many shared book reviews focus on pledges to support the leader’s directives, indicating that reading activities are being used as an extension of ideological indoctrination and loyalty-building efforts.
Experts say the government is likely seeking not only to promote reading through technology but also to monitor ideological trends among residents. Because reading, discussions, and review submissions all take place within state-controlled communications networks, authorities can potentially track public interests and identify individuals who are less enthusiastic about demonstrating loyalty or participating in collective campaigns.
According to a report by the BBC last year, analysis of a smartphone smuggled out of North Korea revealed software that automatically captured screenshots every five minutes. The finding reinforced concerns that authorities are using digital devices as tools for surveillance.
North Korea has also increasingly integrated digital technologies into social control measures, including automatic correction of South Korean-style language expressions and expanded use of surveillance cameras.
