Secretive North Korea opens up to cellphones

Peoples of the world always yearn to be free..

Secretive North Korea opens up to cellphones

 

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - Secretive North Korea is expected to register the one millionth cellphone user on its new 3G network by the end of the year, barely four years after people were thrown into prison camps, or possibly even executed, for owning one.

Most of the users are in the capital of Pyongyang, home to the impoverished country's elite and powerful who have the cash to splash out for a device and the calling fees.

"There has been an astronomical increase since even two years ago," said Michael Hay, a lawyer and business consultant based in the capital for the past seven years.

Two years ago, there were less than 70,000 users.

"All the waitresses in coffee shops have them, as one example, and use them. Let's not even talk about businessmen. The are never off them, and conversations are frequently interrupted by mobile calls."

The authoritarian government ended a ban on cellphones in 2008, inking a four-year deal with Egyptian company Orascom to build the 3G network in partnership with the government.