A report from an American research institute has emerged that North Korea is developing facial recognition artificial intelligence (AI) technology that can be used to monitor residents.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported this on the 25th, citing the James Martin Nonproliferation Research Center’s ‘North Korea AI Research’ report.
As a result of analyzing North Korean state-run media and academic journals, the report found that the mobile phones ‘Azalea 6’ and ‘Azalea 7’, released in 2020 by North Korea’s Mangyongdae Information Technology Company, contained fingerprints based on deep neural network (DLL), one of AI’s machine learning techniques. , it was determined that it was equipped with functions to recognize voices, faces, and texts.
Yalu River Technology Development Company is also understood to have applied deep neural network technology to security surveillance systems and intelligent IP cameras. Intelligent IP cameras are mainly used in security systems, performing functions such as real-time video inspection, motion detection, facial recognition, and automatic tracking.
In particular, the report’s analysis shows that this company is developing technology by actively pursuing joint research and development with famous information and communication (IT) companies in over 20 countries, including China.
Researcher Kim Hyuk, who wrote the report, told RFA, “This surveillance technology developed by North Korea can potentially be used for social control. If North Korea uses facial recognition technology for social control, it will be implicated in potential human rights violations and will be placed on the U.S. sanctions list against North Korea.” “It can be designated,” he said.
In fact, the United States sanctioned Hike Vision, a Chinese surveillance equipment manufacturer, in 2019 for human rights violations. It has been reported that since last year, China has strengthened its search and inspection system using AI-based facial recognition technology, and North Korean defectors in China are being arrested one after another.
Greg Scarlatu, secretary-general of the U.S. Committee on North Korea, told RFA, “With the facial recognition technology that China is currently widely using, the activities of North Korean defectors and those trying to help them are very limited,” and expressed concern that “North Korea is likely to follow suit.” .
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.