Skip to main content

You want the 3G? You can’t handle the 3G! North Korea pulls foreigner access [UPDATE: Temporarily]

From AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee's Instagram
From AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee’s Instagram Image used with permission by copyright holder

North Korea’s interactions with the outside world in 2013 have been incredibly varied. In addition to letting Dennis Rodman visit and becoming more technologically open to journalists, the government is still virulently threatening to bomb both South Korea and the United States. And the erratic policy moves keep coming: The DPRK just reversed its policy on 3G for foreigners.

North Korea revoked foreigner access just a month after first changing its policy to allow foreign visitors to use its 3G network, Koryolink. This is especially disappointing because the change had already resulted in some remarkable pictures coming out of the isolated country from AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee, as well as others.

Another reason it’s a disappointing move? This means Dennis “The Worm” Rodman is one of the only people to have ever tweeted from above the DMZ. 

dennis rodman nkWhile 3G access may be gone for now and the future of more Instagrams and tweets in peril, these brief inside looks still remain. That whole nothing-ever-dies-on-the-Internet thing can be a curse, but this time it’s a blessing. Be sure to check out the Instagram accounts of AP’s David Guttenfelder as well as VICE’s Jason Mojica, who both recently spent time in the country. 

North Korea did not provide an explanation for why it pulled 3G access, but none of the potential reasons are promising; either officials didn’t like what was getting transmitted over the network, or the government is purposely making obtuse policy changes.

UPDATE: Uri Tours, one of the most prominent travel agencies arranging trips to North Korea, told Digital Trends “We confirmed with our partners that 3G service is still available for tourists. Rumors were incorrect it seems or only temporary. Our next group is in two weeks and we plan to use the 3G.” So the 3G desert may be short-lived, after all. Still no word on why the policy was reversed so quickly.

Either way, the changes will have little impact on the day-to-day lives of most North Korean citizens, since the 3G connection was offered to foreigners only. While North Koreans are as obsessed with gadgets as their South Korean counterparts, they use a domestic intranet instead of the Internet to communicate – a policy that keeps information more tightly controlled.

Kate Knibbs
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kate Knibbs is a writer from Chicago. She is very happy that her borderline-unhealthy Internet habits are rewarded with a…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more