North Korea introduces 'Manbang' video streaming set-top box

By Park Sae-jin Posted : August 22, 2016, 15:13 Updated : August 22, 2016, 15:13

[Courtesy of KCTV YouTube Channel]
 


North Korea, one of the world's most secretive countries, has introduced "Manbang", a set-top box which streams live TV programs, video-on-demand (VOD) contents, and other internet contents such as newspaper articles and digital media.

In a video clip uploaded onto YouTube by Pyongyang's state-run Korea Central Television (KCTV), a narrator explains: "Manbang is a device which broadcasts multiple TV broadcast channels. Manbang also delivers on-demand contents which were already broadcast through a connection based on interactive communications."

Although Manbang means spreading out to all directions in Korean, North Korea said its  VOD contents streaming service will only be available in three cities, which have been most visited by foreigners -- Pyongyang, Sariwon, and the northern border city of Sinuiju.

Manbang is seen as an experimental attempt by North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-un who has tried to provide a limited internet connection for North Korean citizens since April.

According to South Korean broadcaster MBC, Kim has ordered state organizations to allow internet access saying: "We must actively use the internet to be familiar with world trends and prepare ahead for the future."

Thre are doubts among foreign experts, however, over how Manbang will work because North Korea has tightly restricted the use of internet and mobile phones in an effort to block an inflow of information from the outside world.

Steven Weber, a professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley and an expert on North Korea told Forbes: "Both the Iranians and the North Koreans have really struggled with connectivity because both of those countries would love to have their own national Internet if they could. But it’s hard, because the technologies they need to distribute it widely could also be used by people to find ways to get on to the global Internet."

"If you have a set-top box on your TV, it still has to connect to a network via cable or wireless. Perhaps in some imaginary world, the North Koreans could create their own content, they could store it on air-gapped servers apart from the internet and distribute it, but even the Chinese can’t afford that." Weber added.



Aju News Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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