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Sat, May 28, 2022 | 01:22
Briefs
KakaoTalk is used in North Korea
북한에서도 '카톡’을?
Posted : 2014-02-13 17:35
Updated : 2014-02-13 17:35
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A growing number of North Koreans use South Korean smart phones to use free mobile messenger, KakaoTalk.
A growing number of North Koreans use South Korean smart phones to use free mobile messenger, KakaoTalk.

By Cho Hyun-eui


It has been found that KakaoTalk, a free mobile messenger application for smartphones developed in Korea, is used in North Korea, New Focus reported Tuesday.

Last year, a group of North Korean inspectors ran a random inspection in a private home and heard the alert sound of KakaoTalk. The family was caught in the act and eventually sent to prison camps for communicating with South Korea.

North Koreans often used Chinese phones to contact their families in South Korea. However, South Korean phones are becoming more popular these days because users can share photos and videos easily with South Korean families.

There is no limit on the length of KakaoTalk messages so the charge is cheaper.

Also KakaoTalk is not detected by the state political security department's radar system.

Especially, North Koreans like to share photos via KakaoTalk with their families.

A large number of South Korean phones are used in North Korea these days and KakaoTalk appears become a new means of communication between North and South Korea.


북한에서도 '카톡’을?

북한에서도 카카오톡을 사용하는 것으로 밝혀졌다고 뉴포커스가 보도했다.

작년 말, 검열조가 한 가정을 불시에 방문했다가 카카오톡 알림 소리를 듣고 가족들을 현행범으로 체포했다. 결국 그 가족은 남한과 연계했다는 죄로 정치범수용소로 끌려갔다.  

북한은 남한과의 연락 수단으로 중국 핸드폰을 이용했으나 요즘에는 사진도 보낼 수 있고 동영상도 전송할 수 있는 남한핸드폰을 선호한다.  

남한핸드폰으로 카카오톡을 사용하면 글자수 제한 없이 한 건에 해당하는 값만 지불하면 되고 보위부전파탐지기에 걸리지 않기 때문이다.

특히 카카오톡을 통해 북한 사람들은 남한에 거주하는 가족과 가족 사진 등을 공유한다고 밝혀졌다.

구체적인 숫자는 밝혀지지 않았지만 남한핸드폰이 북한국경지방에 많이 들어갔다. 카카오톡은 새로운 남북간의 연락도구로 급부상하고 있다. 
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