By Kim Young-jin

The number of North Koreans with state-approved cell phones has surpassed the 1 million mark, a report said Friday, as citizens of the isolated state continue to embrace the mobile communication trend.

Orascom Telecom, the Egypt-based provider of the North’s mobile network, released the latest number in a regulatory filing, Bloomberg said. The number rose from some 300,000 a year ago.

The latest figures underscore the steadily-growing popularity of the phones since Orascom launched the service in 2008. The increased communication access has raised eyebrows given Pyongyang’s long-held clampdown on information flow.

The firm operates the services through Koyrolink, its joint venture with the North. Though international calls are believed to be banned, defectors here say the phones greatly increase the people’s ability to communicate within the country.

Meanwhile, the North’s state media reported that Orascom head Naguib Sawiris met with Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, for talks, without further elaborating.

Illustrating the thirst for the phones, the growth comes amid projections that the phones cost an average of $350 while the average monthly salary comes to about $15 in the reclusive nation.

Cell phone use is said to be predominant in Pyongyang, where a recent study said some 60 percent of residents between 20 and 50 years old were users. Those in the capital are said to enjoy much more modern conditions than those in rural areas.

The North launched a mobile network in 2002 but reportedly halted its operation following a 2004 explosion at a train station that was suspected of being an attack on the regime.

The service, while strictly monitored, has raised the prospect of a freer flow of information.

Analysts suggest that such advances in technology present a double-edged sword for the authoritarian regime. While it increases the regime’s ability to monitor conversations, some have speculated it could give citizens the tools to galvanize a popular revolution similar to recent examples in the Middle East.

Pyongyang is known as one of the worst repressors of information in the world.

Only high-level officials have access to the Internet and random checks on hard drives for banned information are commonplace.

Despite its hobbled economy, the North has been pushing to modernize its capital in time for the 100th anniversary of the birth of country founder Kim Il-sung, by which time it has promised to emerge as a “strong and prosperous state.”

‘北韓 携帶電話 加入者 100萬名 突破’

(두바이·카이로 블룸버그=聯合뉴스) 北韓의 携帶電話 加入者 數가 100萬 名을 넘어섰다. 北韓 內 携帶電話 事業者인 이집트 通信會社 오라스콤 텔레콤은 2日(現地時間) 公示를 통해 北韓의 携帶電話 利用者가 100萬 名을 突破했다고 發表했다.

오라스콤 텔레콤은 나기브 사위리스 會長 一行이 訪北하고 있는 가운데 이같이 밝혔다.

사위리스 오라스콤 텔레콤 會長은 이날 平壤 만수대의사당에서 김영남 北韓 最高人民會議 常任委員長을 接見했다.

김영남과 사위리스 會長은 오라스콤 텔레콤이 投資한 北韓 內 携帶電話 事業 및 平壤 所在 留京호텔 工事 等에 對해 意見을 交換한 것으로 알려졌다.

사위리스 會長은 昨年 1月에도 訪北해 김정일 國防委員長을 面談한 바 있다.

오라스콤 텔레콤은 지난 2008年 12月 75%의 持分 投資로 北韓 遞信性과 合作해 25年間 獨占的인 事業運營權을 가진 移動通信社 '高麗링크'를 設立하고 携帶電話 서비스를 始作했다.

北韓의 携帶電話 加入者는 昨年 6月 末 時點에서 66萬 名을 웃돌았고 3個月 지난 9月 末에는 80萬9千名으로 增加했다.

오라스콤 텔레콤이 지난해 11月 내놓은 '2011年 3分期 實績報告書'에 따르면 高麗링크의 453個 基地局을 통해 平壤과 14個 主要都市, 86個 小都市, 22個 主要道路 等에서 携帶電話 使用이 可能하고, 北韓 住民의 94%가 携帶電話網을 利用할 수 있는 地域에 居住하는 것으로 나타났다.

한便 사위리스 會長의 오라스콤 텔레콤 미디어와 테크놀로지 홀딩스 SAE의 株價는 北韓 携帶電話 利用者가 100萬 名을 넘어섰다는 公示에 힘입어 8營業日째 오름勢를 이어갔다.

株價는 이날 카이로 證市에서 午後 1時36分 現在 前日보다 3.6% 急騰한 週當 1.16이집트파운드에 去來됐다.