Type Smartphone Operating system | Form factor Slate | |
Manufacturer Koryolink(North Korean Claim) Datang Telecom (Actual) Data inputs Multi-touch, capacitive touchscreen
Push buttons | ||
Arirang is a North Korean Android smartphone announced by Koryolink on 10 August 2013. It is named after the "Arirang" Korean folk song.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's state news agency, reported the phone is produced entirely within North Korea, utilising a touch screen and camera with "high pixels." The phone appears to run a derivative of the Android operating system. Blogger Martyn Williams has expressed skepticism, commenting that the phone may actually be produced in China, and then inspected or completed in North Korea. Kim Jong Un has expressed his excitement and support of the smartphone, believing it will support the country's economy and "instill national pride and self-respect".
The phone, model number AS1201, is a re-branded and re-badged Uniscope U1201 and runs a slightly modified version of Android 4.0.4.