The week that Google Chairman Eric Schmidt announces he will visit North Korea is the week that state news agency KCNA updated its website, this time with a fresh new look that includes a heavy focus on multimedia content. But despite what is now the third update to its official online presence, the North Korean developers behind the website continue to approach web standards in a unique manner that leaves the system cumbersome and impractical to use.

The official website available at kcna.kp first appeared online in October 2010 and was later updated in April 2011. Prior to its appearance two years ago, KCNA news had only been available online via a Japanese website hosted by North Korea's "Chongryon" community (overseas North Koreans in Japan).  That website, still in existence at kcna.co.jp, continues to operate (albeit with content usually being updated 24 hours after the news appears at the .kp domain).