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N. Korea leader issues unusual call for use of Internet(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) BEIJING, May 9 -- (Kyodo) _ North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has called for use of the Internet as a means of collecting data of advanced science and technology from abroad, the North's Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported Wednesday. It is unusual for the leader of a country that strictly restricts the inflow of information from abroad and use of the Internet to issue such an instruction. Kim issued the instruction in talks with leading officials of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, state economic bodies and working people's organizations on April 27, which was also carried by the official Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday. In the talks titled, "On Effecting a Drastic Turn in Land Management to Meet the Requirements for Building a Thriving Socialist Nation," Kim stressed the need to get access via the Internet to data of advanced science and technology from abroad. He also called for making "brisk scientific and technological exchange" with other countries and international organizations. Currently, only a small number of people in North Korea such as senior party and government officials and researchers can get access to the Internet. Similarly, ordinary people cannot make international calls even though the number of mobile phone subscribers in the country has topped 1 million. (c) 2012 Kyodo News International, Inc. |