Speculation arises about Kim Jong Un's foldable phone

When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of a new long-range ballistic missile earlier this week, he was seen in front of a foldable mobile phone on the table, quickly becoming the subject of speculation.

Images published on Thursday by North Korea's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, show a silver foldable mobile phone placed in a black leather case, similar to models like Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip or Huawei's Mate X.

The pictures date back to Wednesday when the new long-range ballistic missile was launched from the Pyongan region, sparking much commentary and speculation about the source of this smartphone and how it reached North Korea.

The South Korean newspaper, JoongAng Ilbo, wrote, "If the object that appeared in the image is a foldable smartphone, it is likely to have been smuggled secretly from China into North Korea."

Under international sanctions against North Korea, the country is prohibited from importing or exporting electronic devices.

Kim Jong Un is known for his keen interest in electronic gadgets. He is often photographed with products from American company Apple, including MacBook computers and iPad tablets.

It appears that only about 19 percent of the North Korean population owns a mobile phone, according to data provided by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

 

AFP