Saturday, November 10, 2012

The Information Age: North Korean Style


I think this is appropriately caveated.  We cannot expect the increase in information technology to lead to a Pyongyang spring.  However, that does not mean we should not embrace this and execute a comprehensive influence campaign to prepare for eventual Peninsula unification as well as to target the 2d tier leadership to be able to coerce and co-opt them when necessary (particularly during the chaos of regime collapse).  Opportunities are there and will arise because of these capabilities but as Mr. Bruce notes we should not expect things to happen as in the Arab Spring.
V/R
Dave



November 9, 2012By Scott Thomas Bruce


The "Hermit Kingdom" has slowly embraced cell phones and cyberspace - on its own terms. Those expecting that technology will lead to a "Pyongyang Spring" will be disappointed.

During the floods and famine of the 1990s, the North Korea regime was able to withstand the death of at least 5% of its population by forcing its poorest and least trusted citizens to bear the brunt of environmental disaster. Today, with one million cell phones in North Korea and a government sponsored intranet, the regime believes it can survive the advent of information technology by restricting its use to the most elite 5% of the population who have the largest stake in the survival of the regime as it currently exists.

North Korea intentionally restricts access to information to control its population.  TV and radios in North Korea are hardwired to only receive government controlled media. Foreign newspapers and periodicals are forbidden. North Koreans are not free to travel within the country without government permission. Foreigners who visit North Korea are carefully controlled by their (two) minders who keep them from interacting with the North Korean populace. In short, North Korea has traditionally viewed controlling the flow of information to its population as a fundamental necessity to ensure the survival of the state.
(Continued at the link above)

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