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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/22/manbang-and-chill-north-korea-netflix-video-on-demand
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| Manbang and chill: North Korea gets video on demand | Manbang and chill: North Korea gets video on demand |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Netflix-style video on demand has come to North Korea, allowing viewers to replay documentaries about their leaders and learn Russian and English, state broadcaster the Korea Central Television reported. | Netflix-style video on demand has come to North Korea, allowing viewers to replay documentaries about their leaders and learn Russian and English, state broadcaster the Korea Central Television reported. |
| If the claims are true, the set-top box named Manbang would be a significant development in domestic North Korean television technology, given the limited availability of internet in the country. | If the claims are true, the set-top box named Manbang would be a significant development in domestic North Korean television technology, given the limited availability of internet in the country. |
| In 2015 the World Bank estimated that there were no secure internet servers per million people in the DPRK – compared with a world average of 209 and 2,320 in South Korea. | In 2015 the World Bank estimated that there were no secure internet servers per million people in the DPRK – compared with a world average of 209 and 2,320 in South Korea. |
| The Manbang is said to allow viewers to watch five different TV channels in real-time, all featuring state-sanctioned news and educational programmes, and find information about the activities of Kim Jong-un and Juche ideology. Users can also read articles from the official newspaper Rodong Sinmun and the Korean Central News Agency. | The Manbang is said to allow viewers to watch five different TV channels in real-time, all featuring state-sanctioned news and educational programmes, and find information about the activities of Kim Jong-un and Juche ideology. Users can also read articles from the official newspaper Rodong Sinmun and the Korean Central News Agency. |
| The box lets viewers search for programmes and browse through categories, offering similar functionality to Netflix. | The box lets viewers search for programmes and browse through categories, offering similar functionality to Netflix. |
| “The information and communications technology is based upon two-way communications,” state official Kim Jong-min was quoted as saying in the KCTV report. | “The information and communications technology is based upon two-way communications,” state official Kim Jong-min was quoted as saying in the KCTV report. |
| “If a viewer wants to watch, for instance, an animal movie and sends a request to the equipment, it will show the relevant video to the viewer…this is two-way communications,” Kim added. | “If a viewer wants to watch, for instance, an animal movie and sends a request to the equipment, it will show the relevant video to the viewer…this is two-way communications,” Kim added. |
| One South Korea-based observer said the technology appeared to be legitimate. | One South Korea-based observer said the technology appeared to be legitimate. |
| “When judging from the content of the video, the North [appears to have] technology related to IPTV [internet protocol television],” a South Korean professor at a national university said on condition of anonymity. | “When judging from the content of the video, the North [appears to have] technology related to IPTV [internet protocol television],” a South Korean professor at a national university said on condition of anonymity. |
| “However, it is hard to assess the quality of services and internet network,” the professor added, unable to speak to media on record about North Korea issues. | “However, it is hard to assess the quality of services and internet network,” the professor added, unable to speak to media on record about North Korea issues. |
| A version of this article first appeared on NK News – North Korean news | A version of this article first appeared on NK News – North Korean news |