"North Korean YouTube Earns 9 Million Won in 3 Years... Insufficient as a Foreign Currency Earning Method"

The YouTube channel 'New DPRK,' presumed to be operated by North Korean authorities, has reportedly generated a considerable amount of revenue over the past three years.

On the 20th (local time), the U.S.-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that an account on YouTube, believed to be run by North Korean authorities, is generating income.

The YouTube channel "New DPRK," presumed to be operated by North Korean authorities, features Ri Sujin and Yonmi introducing their daily lives in a vlog format.
[Photo by YouTube channel capture]

According to the media outlet, estimating the revenue at $3 (approximately 4,000 KRW) per 1,000 video views, North Korea's earnings over the past three years are estimated to be around $6,700 (approximately 8.9 million KRW).

The account mentioned by the outlet primarily uploads content in the form of vlogs introducing the daily lives of individuals such as a young girl named Ri Sujin and Yonmi, who speaks fluent Chinese. These videos have attracted significant attention from netizens, garnering millions of views.

The channel, which posted its first video on October 11, 2019, currently has 25,000 subscribers and has recorded over 2 million total views.

Additionally, RFA cited the 'source code' that reveals monetization status and analyzed that this channel earns about $50 (approximately 66,000 KRW) per month.

However, RFA explained that North Korea has only recently become aware of the potential to earn revenue through YouTube, and aside from certain videos, the view counts are minimal. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether North Korea will use this as a full-fledged channel for earning foreign currency.

The media reported that the channel is expected to continue as long as there are no violations of terms of service or other issues.

A spokesperson for Google, the company managing YouTube, told RFA, "Google is committed to complying with laws related to North Korea and relevant U.S. sanctions and trade laws, and enforces related policies under our service terms."

Meanwhile, with trade blocked due to sanctions against North Korea, it is reported that the country is employing various methods to earn foreign currency. Illegal dispatch of workers, arms sales, and smuggling are known to be major routes for foreign currency earnings.