North Korea Reportedly Cracking Down on Cell Phone Use

The Eurasia Review and other sources are reporting, not surprisingly, that the North Korean government is again attempting to crack down on the use of Chinese cell phone services.  One recent defector from North Korea reported that the North Korean authorities were jamming cell phone signals and that it was practically impossible to make a call.  He said that "you can switch phone cards and the call appears to go through, but nobody in North Korea picks up."  North Korea also appears to have made overseas purchases of expensive cell phone tracking and jamming equipment which it has installed at various locations in Shinuiju, Hyesan, and Hweryong in the border area near China, according to North Koreans living in border areas as well as those in South Korea.