On North Korea’s Presence in Twitter and Youtube

I just read from BBC.com that North Korea already has its presence in Twitter and in Youtube. It has @uriminzok for its Twitter account and hosts close to 80 videos in Youtube. I think that this is a very big step, not only for North Korea, but also for the world.

First, I think that this is a big step for North Korea because it shows that it is abreast with the trends in cyberworld. It tells me that despite its backward economic performance, it still is able to enjoy internet services and even manages to utilize it for its propaganda. At least I can not now say that its communist image is fraught with illiteracy of the internet, at the very least.

Second and last, I think that this is also a big step for the world because it gives a glimpse of the thoughts and opinions of the secretive North Korean government. By following it on Twitter and watching its videos on Youtube, the world can somehow get an idea of what it is up to, or what agenda or propaganda it is currently promoting.

I know that I am not very familiar with the history and politics surrounding North Korea. However, I have this general impression that North Korea has its own set of formidable and unyielding mindset and agenda, wrapped in a cloak of secrecy. This is the reason why I truly welcome its presence in popular internet sites because it tells me that somewhere, somehow, underneath that cloak, there is that human aspect.

-Michelle P. M. Sabitsana