North Korea, which has a reputation for isolationism as opposed to connectivity, has activated a new 3G mobile Internet network called Koryolink geared primarily for foreigners to access the web, text, tweet and upload photos and video.
North Korean citizens, who are governed differently than foreigners, can use Koryolink to text and read official state news, but not to access the larger global web -- provided they can afford the fairly expensive service in the first place.
The country's government recently allowed foreigners to bring their own mobile phones from abroad as a precursor to the network's activation, according to the Associated Press.
Reporters inside North Korea have been among the first to benefit from Koryolink. The Associated Press' Jean Lee is one of the first journalists to use the network by tweeting and sending perhaps the first Instagram photos via mobile data signals in the country:
My first tweet using #Koryolink's new mobile #Internet service. Hello world from comms center in #Pyongyang.— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 25, 2013
Nice surprise to see this classic Southern (American) dish on the menu in #Pyongyang. #NorthKorean… instagr.am/p/WI5Q8IOCk8/— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 25, 2013
#Pyongyang at dusk about 30 minutes ago...#nkorea #dprk instagr.am/p/WJmOUxOCkb/— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 25, 2013
In Twitter conversations with her followers, Lee noted the service's costs:
@martyn_williams Yes - very expensive indeed. Will use sparingly. But it's great to feel connected to the world.— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 25, 2013
Lee's status as the first to Instagram from North Korea comes with a caveat: Her colleague, AP photographer David Guttenfelder, has long been using Instagram to photograph life in North Korea. However, he appears to have previously relied on WiFi signals to upload his pictures. Lee appears to have just slightly beaten Guttenfelder to the first Instagram shot uploaded via Koryolink.
North Korea ranks very low in terms of Internet access for citizens. Google's Eric Schmidt urged North Korean leadership to expand Internet access for citizens during a recent visit to the country.