Existing surveillance cameras throughout cities in northern North Korea have been confirmed to be replaced with high-performance models, with installation locations significantly expanded. Facial recognition appears to have been introduced as well. The equipment is reportedly Chinese-made. (ISIHIMARU Jiro / KANG Ji-won)
Installed at Statues and Other Idolization Facilities, Plus High-Traffic Areas
"Since late August, there's been a noticeable increase in surveillance camera installations at 'Revolutionary History Research Rooms,' statues (of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il), and crowded locations. They're Chinese-made. Existing surveillance cameras are also being replaced with much higher-performance models. Facial recognition functionality has been introduced as well."
This was reported in late September by a reporting partner A living in an urban area of North Hamgyong Province.
※Revolutionary History Research Rooms are facilities designed to propagate fabricated history claiming that the Kim family led anti-Japanese movements and the war against America to victory. They're installed throughout the country.
Also, our reporting partner B living in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province said “The installation of high-performance surveillance cameras has been underway since 2024, but the old ones have been updated to the latest models recently."
After Seeing the Facial Recognition System Firsthand...
Reporting partner A had an opportunity to view screens at a facility monitoring surveillance camera footage from a Revolutionary History Research Room. They learned that a specialized department supervising surveillance footage has been established within the Security Bureau (police), with 24-hour shifts monitoring the feeds.
"Blue square markers would appear on faces, and clicking on them would reveal who the person was. Some footage was automatically recorded and stored, while other feeds were monitored in real time. Security agents (police officers) and security personnel (secret police) could check it anytime. Now, wherever you go, (the authorities) know everything."
Revolutionary History Research Rooms and statues serve to idolize the Kim family. Despite ongoing power shortages, they remain brightly lit at night, with overnight guards maintained to prevent damage or graffiti. According to A, "With the camera expansion, guard personnel no longer man posts—only patrols remain."
