Telephone numbers in North Korea
{{Short description|None}}
{{Infobox country telephone plan
| country = North Korea
| country_link = North Korea
| continent = Asia
| map_image =
| map_caption =
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| country_calling_code = +850
| international_prefix = 00 or 99
| trunk_prefix = 0
| regulator =
| plan_membership =
| nsn_length =
| dial_plan_type =
| number_format =
| codes_list =
}}
Telephone numbers in North Korea are regulated by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
Area codes
This is the official list as registered with ITU-T in 2011.
| class="wikitable" border=1
!colspan="4"|List of allocations in 2011{{Cite web |title=Dem. People's Rep. of Korea |url=http://www.itu.int/oth/T0202000036/en |access-date=20 September 2015 |website=itu.int}} | |||
| Area code || Length of customer number || City || Province | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 11 | Unknown | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 12 | Unknown | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 18 | 3 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 381 | 4 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 771 | 4 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 772 | 4 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 880 | 13 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 881 | 13 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 882 | 13 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 883 | 13 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 2 885 | 13 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 195 | 7 digits | Pyongyang | Pyongyang |
| 31 | 6 digits | Pyongsong | South Phyongan |
| 39 | 6 digits | Nampo | Nampo |
| 41 | 6 digits | Sariwon | North Hwanghae |
| 43 | Unknown | Songnim | North Hwanghae |
| 45 | 6 digits | Haeju | South Hwanghae |
| 49 | 6 digits | Kaesong | North Hwanghae |
| 53 | 6 digits | Hamhung | South Hamgyong |
| 57 | 6 digits | Wonsan | Kangwon |
| 61 | 6 digits | Sinuiju | North Phyongan |
| 67 | 6 digits | Kanggye | Jagang |
| 73 | 6 digits | Chongjin | North Hamgyong |
| 79 | 6 digits | Hyesan | Ryanggang |
| 85 29 | 4 digits | Rason | Rason |
| 86 | Unknown | Sonbong | Rason |
| 29
|4 digits |Rason |
Mobile networks
- 0191 - Koryolink WCDMA Network
- 0192 - Koryolink WCDMA Network
- 0193 - SunNet GSM900 Network (discontinued in 2004)
- 0195 - Kangsong NET WCDMA, 4G LTE Network
Number lengths
| class="wikitable" |
| Location
! Area code ! Subscriber number ! NSN length |
|---|
| Pyongyang (capital city)
| 2 digits (02) | 7 digits | 8 digits |
| Rason Economic Special Zone
| 3 digits (085) | 6 digits | 8 digits |
| Mobiles
| 4 digits (019X) | 7 digits | 10 digits |
Little is known about phone numbers in the rest of the country, as phone numbers outside Pyongyang and Rason are not able to be dialled from overseas and are hence not advertised in any overseas publications.
International dialing
Overseas callers to North Korea will usually need to go through the international operator service on +850 2 18111. A select few numbers (mostly fax numbers) are able to be dialled directly, without operator assistance.
Phone numbers in Pyongyang which can call internationally and which can receive calls internationally always begin with 381 in the local number, e.g. +850 2 381 xxxx.Bradt travel guide to North Korea These numbers cannot be dialled domestically and cannot make calls domestically, so usually an organisation with international connectivity will have a 381 international number and a 382 domestic number. For example, the British Embassy in Pyongyang can be dialled as +850 2 381 7980 internationally and 02 382 7980 domestically.{{Cite web |title=Worldwide organisations |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy/asia-and-oceania/korea-dpr-north-korea |access-date=20 September 2015 |website=fco.gov.uk}} 381 numbers can, however, call other 381 numbers domestically.
Many North Koreans smuggle in mobile phones from China and use them near the border where they can take advantage of Chinese mobile networks that work there. The North Korean government has cracked down on illegal phones by deploying surveillance and jamming devices.{{Cite web |date=6 September 2017 |title=International Phone Calls Are Illegal In North Korea |url=https://www.globalcallforwarding.com/international-phone-calls-illegal-north-korea/ |access-date=21 February 2017 |website=Global Call Forwarding |archive-date=22 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222044736/https://www.globalcallforwarding.com/international-phone-calls-illegal-north-korea/ |url-status=dead }}
Many lines in the Rason Special Economic Zone can also be direct-dialled from outside the country, as many foreign companies (mostly Chinese and Russian) are active in the region.
Calls between North Korea and South Korea are banned,{{Cite web |date=6 July 2002 |title=North Korea's tentative telecoms |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/DG06Dg02.html |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020804034158/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/DG06Dg02.html |archive-date=4 August 2002 |access-date=20 September 2015 |website=Asia Times}} except to or from the Kaesong Industrial Region.
References
{{portal|North Korea|Telecommunications}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040708003349/http://www.wtng.info/wtng-850-kp.html North Korea]}} at World Telephone Numbering Guide
- {{Cite web |last=Kang Mi Jin |date=2017-10-30 |title=[Photos] Smuggled phone directory leads to nationwide confiscation effort |url=http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?num=14791&cataId=nk01500 |access-date=2017-10-30 |website=Daily-NK |translator=Colin Zwirko}}
{{Telephone numbers in Asia}}