Country ‘more opaque’ after YouTube propaganda ban

SEOUL: North Korea has become “more opaque” to the outside world following a decision by YouTube to silence an official propaganda channel, a monitoring group has warned, as new sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear programme begin to bite.

Observers have long relied on state-run news for glimpses into Pyongyang’s shadowy regime and weapons programme, but one such source — the Uriminzokkiri channel — went dark earlier this month.

YouTube “has cut off a vital supply of video used by open source researchers, which means there is now less visibility into what’s happening in North Korea,” said Martyn Williams in a commentary published on Friday on the respected 38 North website, which focuses on North Korea analysis.

“The Western world’s understanding of North Korea is limited to begin with, cutting off access to these few windows into North Korean thinking and life further hampers our knowledge of the country.”

YouTube first pulled the channel in early September with a message stating that it was in violation of “community standards” and the page currently has a notice that it is subject to a “legal complaint”.

The Google-owned company immediately available for comment.

Academics use official footage of missile launches and visits to factories by the North’s leader Kim Jong-Un to gain rare insights into the progress of the country’s weapons programmes. was not