North Korea is reportedly cracking down on the import of Chinese-made smartwatches that are able connect to mobile networks outside of the country via USIM cards. However, some devices, including smartwatches, have been imported and circulated in the country without the required modifications. According to the report, anyone caught with a USIM-enabled smartwatch will be subject to interrogation and have the watch confiscated. Ironically, the source said, most people who buy USIM-enabled smartwatches likely don’t even know the devices have illegal features because the instruction manuals are written only in Chinese. The crackdown comes as demand for high-end Chinese smartwatches is soaring among young North Koreans, according to a separate report on Daily NK.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 14, 2024 05:01 UTC