In a sweeping transfer to tighten its grip on the digital realm, North Korea has unveiled a dramatically enhanced info management system by its revised Info Expertise Regulation, signaling the regime’s dedication to take care of absolute authority over its technological growth.
Day by day NK has obtained the entire textual content of North Korea’s Info Expertise Regulation, which was amended in 2022.
The regulation consists of 5 chapters and 43 articles, protecting the basics of knowledge know-how regulation, planning, implementation, strengthening materials and technical infrastructure, and authorities oversight of knowledge know-how tasks.
In line with the regulation, all establishments, enterprises, and organizations should put together and submit info know-how plans for approval by state planning businesses, register with the knowledge know-how steering company, and supply stories on implementation standing.
Moreover, these entities should implement info know-how in response to standardized specs and construct info infrastructure, methods, and databases in accordance with permitted design paperwork, adopted by obligatory operational inspections.
Via these measures, North Korea has established an institutional framework to manage all elements of knowledge know-how, from planning and implementation to operations.
Hwang Hyun-wook, a senior researcher on the Day by day NK AND Heart, defined, “The revised regulation goals to extend administrative and financial effectivity by info know-how, making a extra scientific and handy atmosphere for implementing nationwide insurance policies and enterprise administration. It establishes a authorized basis that emphasizes standardization and strengthens the technical infrastructure for info methods.”
The revised regulation locations specific emphasis on info safety and technological self-reliance.
Article 19 stipulates that every one info methods should set up safety measures in response to state requirements and bear obligatory assessment and registration. Article 24 specifies necessities for accountable administration of knowledge assets.
“The regulation designates info safety as a vital ingredient in implementing info know-how and mandates safety evaluations for all methods,” Hwang mentioned. “This may be considered as an extension of the regime’s safety insurance policies.”
Article 27 requires that info know-how tools and software program be produced in response to state plans, emphasizing the event of “our type of knowledge know-how” to extend home manufacturing within the IT sector.
These laws look like a part of North Korea’s technique to construct an impartial info know-how ecosystem amid worldwide sanctions, highlighting the regime’s prioritization of management over technological openness.
“The regulation goals to extend self-sufficiency by creating indigenous know-how,” Hwang famous. “The important thing goal is lowering dependence on exterior know-how and constructing an impartial IT basis.”
Hwang added, “Whereas the regulation emphasizes funding in IT tasks (Article 33) and the creation of an IT fund (Article 34), it’s unsure whether or not North Korea can maintain these initiatives given its financial challenges. In the long run, these formidable IT tasks might additional burden the North Korean financial system.”
The revised regulation additionally consists of extra detailed punishment provisions for violations.
Article 42 outlines numerous infractions—together with failure to fulfill IT plans, false reporting, unauthorized system operation, and safety assessment omissions—that can lead to warnings, unpaid labor for as much as three months, labor schooling, demotion, dismissal, or elimination from workplace.
Article 43 additional stipulates that sure violations might end in legal costs beneath the related provisions of the Prison Regulation.
A full model of the regulation in Korean may be downloaded here.
