Foreign laptops increasingly popular item for North Korean middle class | NK News
NK News Logo
December 23, 2024

NK News is hiring

Foreign laptops increasingly popular item for North Korean middle class

North Korea's elite move mobile computing as laptops become status symbol

Foreign laptops have become a new status symbol among North Korean high-ranking officials as more top-ranking North Korean elites can afford to buy costly foreign-made luxury items.

According to defector testimonies, the move marks a shift among North Korean’s upper classes towards mobile computing, as laptops from China, Japan and the West increasingly leak across North Korea’s borders.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.