North Korea says it’s launching a state-run video on demand service

IN A state TV broadcast, North Korean officials said they are launching a Netflix-style video on demand service for their people.

North Korea is apparently launching its own video on demand service. Picture: Ahn Young-joon

MOST North Koreans don’t have internet access but the Hermit Kingdom is apparently wanting to roll out a state-sponsored version of Netflix-style streaming service for its people.

In a broadcast earlier this week on Korea Central Television (KCTV) the government spruiked the arrival of a Netflix-style video on demand service provided via an internet protocol television (IPTV) system.

It goes without saying that such a service won’t boast any Seth Rogen and James Franco films, but according to a US based publication that covers North Korea, NK News, users will be able to watch documentary films about the leadership.

The service will have five channels for viewers to choose from with state-related content and users will also be able to read selected news stories.

According to the report it will also offer channels to learn English and Russian.

North Korea does have some broadband infrastructure, including fibre optic links between major institutions but internet access is only permitted with special authorisation and all personal computers must be registered with the government. For the most part, the internet is entirely restricted to a small number of elites, government officials and foreign visitors.

According to The Atlantic, no more than a few thousand North Korean researchers and high officials have access to the world wide web. Others who are lucky enough to have a computer must apply for access to the country’s “Bright Star” intranet portal, which provides access to censored news and has a rudimentary email service.

Kim Jong Min, head of the centre in charge of providing information and technology in North Korea, outlined the seemingly basic service during the KCTV report.

“The information and communications technology is based upon two-way communications,” he said.

“If a viewer wants to watch, for instance, an animal movie and sends a request to the equipment, it will show the relevant video to the viewer ... this is two-way communications,” he explained.

However Eric Johnson, an independent researcher with experience analysing the North’s information ecosystem, has his doubts about the usability of the service and said what the government is describing is closer to a live cable TV stream over the internet rather than a video on demand service.

“Conventionally, IPTV refers to streaming via the internet a conventional over-the-air TV channel in real time,” he told NK News.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

Originally published as North Korea says it’s launching a state-run video on demand service