Pyongyang: Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been detected in classrooms of a newly inaugurated high school in Pyongyang, as shown by footage from state media on Wednesday. This development suggests a potential increase in monitoring young generations to prevent exposure to external influences. Last week, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and Korean Central Television announced the completion of Songga Senior Middle School in the capital, highlighting its facilities for "putting education on a practical, comprehensive and modern basis at a high level." In North Korea, a senior middle school is equivalent to a high school.According to Yonhap News Agency, video clips from official news outlets displayed CCTV cameras overlooking students from the top corners of the school's classrooms, including a dance hall. This image, captured from a video published by the Korean Central News Agency on November 21, 2024, shows a CCTV camera at the top corner of a classroom in Songga Senior Middle School in P yongyang. It remains uncertain whether other North Korean classrooms are equipped with CCTV cameras. However, experts suggest that this recent discovery might indicate North Korea's intention to intensify its scrutiny of its citizens, particularly the younger generations, against the influence of foreign culture and information.Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, remarked that North Koreans born after the 2000s are acquainted with the latest external culture and exhibit high curiosity, potentially creating tension within the country. "There might have arisen a need to control the behavioral patterns of new generations through CCTV cameras," he stated, pointing to the country's growing efforts to block the penetration of external information.This image captured from a video published by the Korean Central Television on November 21, 2024, shows a CCTV camera at the top corner of a dance hall in Songga Senior Middle School in Pyongyang.
- October 12, 2026
