North Korea has banned the use of mobile phones for 100 days while it formally mourns the death of its late "glorious leader" Kim Jong-Il. Those who disobey the dictat will be treated as war criminals and punished accordingly, it has been claimed.
Following Kim Jong-Il's death from a heart attack in December 2011, hordes of …
.... because the only way to deal with a subjugated people whose leaders are systematically blocking any chance they might have to organise their own freedom is to commit genocide against them.
".... because the only way to deal with a subjugated people whose leaders are systematically blocking any chance they might have to organise their own freedom is to commit genocide against them."
Sounds OK. Where do we nuke from orbit first? London or Washingto :)
North Korea gave out the mobile phone licence to an Egyptian mobile phone operator called Orascom on the proviso that they clad the outside of one of the ugliest buildings in the world - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel. It still looks like an eyesore but slightly better than what it did.
And now for Orascom's efforts they can enjoy watching their phone network go dark for 4 months. Thanks North Korea! I wouldn't be surprised if the network nationalised next on some flimsy pretense.
Such are the joys of dealing with the most totalitarian paranoid states in the world. Serves Orascom right really.
Is this just an extension of all the fuss over the "Bay Area Rapid Transport" network? Or are just just copying; Oh look the West turn off mobile networks when there is a risk of trouble, let's do the same...
This doesn't surprise me but I bet it won't apply to plenty of people.
I was there for a couple of weeks this year. In Pyongyang mobiles were very common and in parks we saw locals singing and dancing and filming themselves on their phones. They also allow foreigners who visit regularly to buy special NK mobiles but they have a different number prefix and are unable to call locals' mobiles (but are able to call landlines).
They use a GSM network - I was able to see their network on my iphone - before they confiscated it at the airport for the duration of the trip. They also confiscate any GPS devices (including cameras). One guy got a 3G kindle past them and while we were at the border with China waiting for them to examine/delete photos they didn't like on our cameras, he was happily using the internet - I'm sure a fair few people near the border must use Chinese SIM cards for foreign communications.
By the way - they've just discovered pasties courtesy of Kim Jong il -- http://fb.me/1HO3szL5T
any related to the power in place is shoot on sigh. all military/nuclear installation is compltetly flatten. any trace of the current regime is vaporize. NNK US NO A LEGITIMATE CONTRY PERIOD.
A web search turned up a video about "making pasties in Cornwall" by The Guardian, a British newspaper, that was really about pastry, not the adhesive nipple covers once used by strippers. So apparently this confusion is not confined to North Korea.
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North Korea labels phone users war criminals
North Korea has banned the use of mobile phones for 100 days while it formally mourns the death of its late "glorious leader" Kim Jong-Il. Those who disobey the dictat will be treated as war criminals and punished accordingly, it has been claimed. Following Kim Jong-Il's death from a heart attack in December 2011, hordes of …
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Posted Friday 27th January 2012 12:27 GMT
tmTM
oh well #
They can't complain.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 14:11 GMT
Rod MacLean
RE: oh well #
They can't complain by phone anyway...
This post has been deleted by a moderator
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 12:46 GMT
Sir Runcible Spoon
Sir #
How do feel about being judged by the behavour of our own politicians?
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 12:46 GMT
Jedit
Yes... #
.... because the only way to deal with a subjugated people whose leaders are systematically blocking any chance they might have to organise their own freedom is to commit genocide against them.
Moron.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:39 GMT
BristolBachelor
@Jedit #
".... because the only way to deal with a subjugated people whose leaders are systematically blocking any chance they might have to organise their own freedom is to commit genocide against them."
Sounds OK. Where do we nuke from orbit first? London or Washingto :)
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 12:52 GMT
dotdavid
War criminal? #
Don't you need to be having a war to be dubbed a war criminal? Is North Korea having a war on phones, or is it just having one on reality?
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 12:56 GMT
ravenviz
Re: War criminal? #
They are at war. With South Korea.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:22 GMT
MJI
The **** Ronerys #
THEY are the war criminals, not their victims!
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 16:52 GMT
Chad H.
Technically speaking #
The Korean War never ended. There's just a long term truce.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 17:07 GMT #
laird cummings
We have ALWAYS been at war with Eastasia!
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:20 GMT
Uncle Slacky
Why not just... #
...disable the 3G netxork itself? Switch off the towers?
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:24 GMT
Arnold Lieberman
*Obvious*, innit? #
How else would the Party Apparatchik order whores? It's the *people* (i.e. ordinary citizens) who are not supposed to use their phones.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:23 GMT
DrXym
Yet another warning to investors #
North Korea gave out the mobile phone licence to an Egyptian mobile phone operator called Orascom on the proviso that they clad the outside of one of the ugliest buildings in the world - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel. It still looks like an eyesore but slightly better than what it did.
And now for Orascom's efforts they can enjoy watching their phone network go dark for 4 months. Thanks North Korea! I wouldn't be surprised if the network nationalised next on some flimsy pretense.
Such are the joys of dealing with the most totalitarian paranoid states in the world. Serves Orascom right really.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:42 GMT
BristolBachelor
North Korea = San Francisco? #
Is this just an extension of all the fuss over the "Bay Area Rapid Transport" network? Or are just just copying; Oh look the West turn off mobile networks when there is a risk of trouble, let's do the same...
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 13:52 GMT
Anonymous Coward
mobiles #
This doesn't surprise me but I bet it won't apply to plenty of people.
I was there for a couple of weeks this year. In Pyongyang mobiles were very common and in parks we saw locals singing and dancing and filming themselves on their phones. They also allow foreigners who visit regularly to buy special NK mobiles but they have a different number prefix and are unable to call locals' mobiles (but are able to call landlines).
They use a GSM network - I was able to see their network on my iphone - before they confiscated it at the airport for the duration of the trip. They also confiscate any GPS devices (including cameras). One guy got a 3G kindle past them and while we were at the border with China waiting for them to examine/delete photos they didn't like on our cameras, he was happily using the internet - I'm sure a fair few people near the border must use Chinese SIM cards for foreign communications.
By the way - they've just discovered pasties courtesy of Kim Jong il -- http://fb.me/1HO3szL5T
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 15:47 GMT
Anonymous Coward 15
"I went home with pasties associated with his warm love." #
Ewwwwwwwwwwww! Too much!
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 14:29 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Brings a whole new meaning to... #
..cell phone.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 15:21 GMT
perlcat
I know the reason #
Trying to head off the inevitable cell pics of Kin Jong Un "Looking at Stuff".
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 15:48 GMT
Mectron
how to instantly solve NK problem #
any related to the power in place is shoot on sigh. all military/nuclear installation is compltetly flatten. any trace of the current regime is vaporize. NNK US NO A LEGITIMATE CONTRY PERIOD.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 15:57 GMT
David D. Hagood
To quote Pulp Fiction.... #
"English, muthafucka - DO YOU SPEAK IT!?!"
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 16:19 GMT
Steve Renouf
Hmmmmph #
Obviously, it isn't his native language! Let's see you write something in his language AH
(Without wishing to stereotype, I'm guessing you're a 'Merkin...)
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 17:11 GMT #
laird cummings
Aaaand... now we've heard from the loony fringe.
Our day is complete.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 16:15 GMT
Mike Moyle
Is it my old eyes... #
...or is Kim wearing a silk, pin-stripe Mao suit in that picture...?
All the workers are equal, but some are more equal than others...
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 17:14 GMT
laird cummings
He is. #
My mind just tripped several breakers, trying to process the hypocracy.
Posted Saturday 28th January 2012 06:55 GMT
unitron
Yeah... #
And the hypocrisy is even worse.
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 16:18 GMT
Haku
HELLO?! #
YEAH, I'M IN NORTH KOREA!
NO IT'S RUB*BANG*BANG*BANG*
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 17:10 GMT
Anonymous Coward
OK, no2GSM but did NK sign ACTA yesterday? #
aaa ccc ttt aaa
Posted Friday 27th January 2012 17:45 GMT
John Savard
Confusing the Koreans #
A web search turned up a video about "making pasties in Cornwall" by The Guardian, a British newspaper, that was really about pastry, not the adhesive nipple covers once used by strippers. So apparently this confusion is not confined to North Korea.
Posted Sunday 29th January 2012 10:38 GMT
SkippyBing
Pasties, the plural of Pasty #
God's own foodstuff
http://www.properpasty.co.uk/
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