PRESS CONFERENCE
North Korea's High-Tech Boom
Martyn Williams, Stimson Center

14:00-15:00 Thursday, September 10, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.

North Korea is experiencing an economic boom unlike anything the isolated and once starving country has seen in decades. Arms exports to Russia are one driver, but surprisingly another has been domestic sales of smartphones and cell phones. With a population of just 26 million, the small nation has at least two dozen mobile phone brands, most of which appeared in recent years. While many handsets are made at factories in China, the software is developed within North Korea, supporting a growing digital economy.

To explain the takeoff by North Korea's technological industries, the FCCJ is pleased to host Martyn Williams, a former Club president who is now a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C. Williams will introduce us to a North Korea that very few see, a wealthier and more confident country that can parlay technical knowhow into new sources of revenue. He will offer a deep look into where the phones come from, why the regime supports the smartphone boom, what the population can do with the gadgets, and what this trend means for North Korea in the world.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Williams worked in Japan mainly as a journalist for 16 years before moving to the United States. Since then, he has focused his career on deciphering North Korea, launching the North Korea Tech website in 2010 before joining the Stimson Center a decade later. Join us for a deep look at one of the world's most enigmatic and misunderstood nations.

How to attend: 
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live  

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/Q84oXWzu5Vo3rERCA      

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.

Professional Activities Committee