Cell Phone Service in Nason Area from Late July

2010.07.05 18:32:42

Beginning at the end of July, a restricted cell phone service will begin in North Korea’s Lason area, a PSCORE source recently reported. This new cell phone service will be provided by Orascom, an Egyptian communications company.

However, this new cell phone service is restricted to domestic calls only and eavesdropping by the government is reportedly widespread. As a result, people living in North Korea’s border regions continue to secretly use cell phones activated through Chinese telecommunication companies, the source reported.

In other news, recent reports had indicated that North Korean authorities were going to provide unrestricted passage into the Lason area for passport-carrying Chinese citizens, but so far there has been no change, PSCORE sources reported. Further, the reported loosening of restrictions on the market in Lason has also fallen short of expectations. Age restrictions have still not been removed, and markets in Lason continue to have restricted business hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, sources reported.     

Currently the price of rice in Lason is 4.50 won for one kilogram and pork is selling for 15 to 16 yuan per kilogram. The currency rate on July 4 was 100 won to 14,000 won, but has shown large fluctuation between the morning and afternoon hours.

Translation by Robert Lauler

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