Ontario man stumbles upon “mind-boggling” North Korean state TV broadcasts
North Korea is one of the most isolated and secretive countries in the world. Its 26 million residents are cut off from the outside world, while North Korea’s government is extremely selective about what it chooses to show to outsiders.
Despite all of this, an Ontario man was able to tune in to a live feed of North Korean state television.
Global's Jeff Semple speaks with Peter Fairlie about how he stumbled upon the network and what he saw.
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Despite all of this, an Ontario man was able to tune in to a live feed of North Korean state television.
Global's Jeff Semple speaks with Peter Fairlie about how he stumbled upon the network and what he saw.
For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca
Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc
Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ
Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt
Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB
#GlobalNews
Transcript
00:00To watch the Olympics, this broadcast engineer used his impressive backyard satellite to
00:06scan the airwaves for sports channels, and stumbled upon a peculiar signal.
00:14I saw Pyongyang on it, and that piqued my curiosity.
00:18It was like, is this really coming out of North Korea?
00:22Turns out, it really was.
00:27Peter Farrelly had inadvertently tapped into North Korean state TV.
00:32He started watching, and couldn't stop.
00:34It's really mind-boggling stuff when you start watching their propaganda.
00:38The morning broadcast begins with the national anthem, and tributes to North Korea's former
00:46rulers.
00:48There are cartoons, news programs praising the regime, and of course, the star of the
00:54show.
00:57Kim Jong-un is presented as a god, provoking fan frenzies reminiscent of Taylor Swift.
01:06A man of the people, even braving floodwaters, narrowly dodging tree branches to rescue his
01:12citizens.
01:15Farrelly posted the video clips on YouTube, where they've received millions of views.
01:20What do you make of the reaction?
01:22People have a weird curiosity about what's going on in North Korea.
01:26I think it's fascinating.
01:27It provides a rare glimpse.
01:30This expert says North Korean TV is rarely accessible from the outside, and almost nothing
01:36gets in.
01:37North Koreans caught watching foreign programming are sent to labor camps, or even executed.
01:43Controlling the public's mind has been the fundamental focus of the regime.
01:47They are massively brainwashed from kindergarten onwards, and they are exposed to some of the
01:54most complex propaganda campaigns that we have ever seen in human history.
01:59A rare window into that unparalleled propaganda machine, through this suburban Ontario backyard.
02:06Jeff Semple, Global News, Mississauga, Ontario.