The Digital Everyday in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Dr. Benoit Berthelier (Senior Lecturer, The University of Sydney, Australia)

About the lecture series:

Every semester, we have been organizing special lectures on North Korea to feature the diverse research achievements of North Korean Studies.

Lecture abstract:

While media coverage of North Korean digital technology focuses on hacking and cyberattacks, far less attention has been paid to how digital technology has transformed the everyday lives of DPRK citizens. This talk examines domestically-produced apps, video games, and devices, alongside evolving legal and economic frameworks for digital intellectual property and software. Through this lens, we explore the unexpected ways in which technology is reshaping North Korean society.

About the lecturer

Dr. Benoit Berthelier is a Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Sydney. He received his Ph.D. in 2016 from the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) for his dissertation, "The place of literature. Politics of literary discourse in the liberated Koreas (1945 - 1950)". While his foundational research focused on post-liberation Korean literature, he now specializes in the transformation of North Korean society through the lens of technology.
His current research provides an in-depth analysis of how technology—from Cold War cybernetics to the everyday apps and video games used by citizens today—has brought unexpected changes to North Korea's sovereignty, culture, and daily life. Dr. Berthelier is recognized for his use of innovative methodologies, such as AI and quantitative analysis, to explore the aesthetic and social meanings hidden beneath state propaganda.

Online event!

Please register in advance: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/weblink/register/rad3fab57b5eb187b528b20458ceea2e8