In a recent exploration of North Korea's digital landscape, YouTuber Arun Maini, known as Mrwhosetheboss, examined two smartphones smuggled out of the country: the budget Haeyang 701 and the flagship Samtaesung 8 from 2023. Both smartphones were referred to as effective surveillance tools that showcase the extent of governmental control over technology and information access in the country. Maini's discovery not only highlights the technological gap but also the oppressive environment in which North Koreans operate. Furthermore, the controls enforced on communication through these devices reveal a stark reality of censorship.

One of the most notable findings during the investigation was the smartphone's automatic modification of terms associated with South Korea. The device alters the term 'South Korea' to 'puppet state' automatically, which underlines the extreme censorship practiced by the North Korean regime in real-time. Moreover, while the Haeyang 701 still allows users to type 'North Korea', the newer Samtaesung 8 goes as far as disallowing this term entirely, replacing it with 'Joseon', a historical name that refers to a Korean dynasty. This further emphasizes the regime's goal of rewriting history and manipulating national identity.

These findings underscore not only the surveillance capabilities of these devices but also the broader implications for human rights and freedom of expression in North Korea. The differentiation in censorship capabilities between the two models suggests an evolution in surveillance technology that aligns with the ruling Party's ongoing efforts to control narratives and suppress dissent. As digital interactions increasingly mirror societal controls, these smartphones serve as an alarming reminder of the lengths to which authoritarian regimes might go to restrict freedoms and perpetuate their power.