There was an announcement a while back that North Korea had come out with its own version of Linux (called Red Star OS). I dropped by the official North Korean site, and found their contact information. I sent a polite email asking for a download link for their distro, but I never heard back from anybody. This was rather rude on their part, or perhaps they just don’t have people who can read English answering their email. Anyway, I wasn’t able to get a download link…until today.
Somebody on Reddit posted a link to a Russian forum. I popped over there, registered and was able to download a copy of North Korea’s version of Linux, called Red Star OS. If you aren’t familiar with North Korea, be sure to watch the Vice Guide to North Korea. It’s entertaining and also quite creepy at times.
I’ve embedded all three parts below; each part is about 20 minutes. It’s well worth watching if you want to see what a visit to North Korea is like.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Before I get into the review, here are a few of things to bear in mind. North Korea Linux comes only in Korean, there is no English version of it.
Second, the fact that I reviewed this distro should not be interpreted as any kind of endorsement of the North Korean government.
Third, I have renamed it for this review to “North Korea Linux” since it’s much clearer as to what the heck this distro is and where it comes from. Many people might not know recognize the name Red Star OS.
Fourth, I have removed the software page of the review. I started trying to figure out what applications had been included but, after a while, I decided it was more of a headache than it was worth. Suffice to say that the selection isn’t all that great, from what I could tell. However, there was a separate disc included with my install that was labeled applications. I did not bother installing it since it would have meant more time spent trying to wade through Korean application menus.
Also, according to a report, North Korea Linux is geared toward monitoring and controlling the web behavior of the North Korean people. So bear that in mind as you read this review.
Tux, in full communist regalia. Oh my! Creepy!
What’s New In This Release
Since this is the first time I’ve looked at Red Star Linux, there’s nothing to list here in terms of what’s new from previous releases. Instead, I’ll simply post the list of features from the Russian forum since that sums it all up. This list is translated from the Russian language, so it’s a bit off from regular English.
Year of Release: 2009
Version: 2.0
Developer: North Korea
Architecture: x86
Tabletka: Not required
Language: ONLY Korean
Description: A unique assembly of Linux from North Korea (DPRK). Was made on the orders of the Government to establish a free system in the Korean language.
At the present time is in the process of improvement. We spread my version is outdated, but so far that is all we have.
The second disc before soft for him (rpm). This is typical of the program under sneakers, fully translated into Korean. His made from scratch is almost there. That’s why he and Linux.
- Service software for the client version of Red Star
- Office suite “we” – ala OpenOffice
- A program for recording CD / DVD
- Email client “Dove”
- Korean chess
- A program for faxing
- Anti-Virus “Woodpecker”
- Notebook “My friend”
- One office suite OpenOffice ala
- Graphic Editor
- Firewall “Pyongyang Fortress
- Engineering Calculator
- Emulator of the Windows environment
On the next page, I’ll take a look at the hardware requirements and the install routine.
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It’s not odd that it’s only available in Korean. They don’t want to spread their communist agenda because of their unique “Juche”-philosophy.
The North Koreans believe they’re not only [obviously] ideologically superior but *racially* superior to all others!
After the Eastern Europeans, Russians and even the Chinese succumbed to capitalism they see themselves as the only one’s strong enough [racially] to continue! It’s sick but true.
They wish to be *fully* self-reliant and having their own OS fits nicely with their philosophy.
This was more of an excuse to make political statements on N.Korea rather than Linux distro assessment. Kidnapping, attacking or invading other countries is just not N.Korean specialty or its exclusive domain, there is a country called US of A, that does it quite well and in far more larger scale, except they call it hearts and mind and liberation. Next time do a Linux review, don’t bring in politics and turn it into a mud slinging fest, we got enough of that on other forums.
Ok Desktop is KDE Classic. So what is the kernel ? How to install aplications ? Where is the package manager ? This Red Star distro base on what distro ? Does is another Ubuntu ? How about repositories ? Any backdor or rootkit built-in ?
It doesn’t surprise me that there isn’t any propaganda – only the party elite would possibly have access to a computer, so there would be no need for any heavy-handed indoctrination.
Moreover, Kim Jong Il and the others in charge of North Korea aren’t foolish enough to think that releasing their own Linux distro would ever endear them to the outside world, nor, I imagine, do they care. Their government seems to be concerned with keeping power, not making friends or influencing world opinion.
And this is exactly how the US media used to portray China and USSR before.
The first paragraph to THIS article was so creepy I decided to skip it.
It read like a 50′s McCarthesque piece.
[...] here to read the rest: North Korea Linux (Red Star OS) | Desktop Linux Reviews Categories : [...]
The worls is going crazy, there are supporters of the North Korea regime? Do me a favor, go live there…
Ok the comments are very strange. Politics? One person described this a Mcartheresque. Really its not strange to say a countries bad when they lock up the manager of the soccer team that didn’t get past the group stages of the world cup. They oppress their citizens, this had nothing to do with bashing the economic system communism but the systemic human rights abuses.
@Arup if you are really comparing the US of A to north korea that really is the most laughable example of populist nonsense you find on the web, and thats coming from a generally anti american socialist.
The Linux community has some of the worst flamers I’ve ever seen.
Anyhoo interesting review and I do realise the limitations of the language barrier but I really would have liked to know about application installation is customasibilty locked down and what are the ‘snooping’ abilities of the OS?
I don’t see this review as political at all. But those of you who are defending North Korea should read this story:
North Korean defectors, victims speak at human rights conference
http://www.examiner.com/romance-travel-in-toronto/north-korean-defectors-victims-speak-at-human-rights-conference
“Young-Cheol Kim and Mi-ran Kim both may have completely different backgrounds but they share the same stories. At the International Conference on North Korean Human Rights, the North Korean defectors discussed their horrifying experiences and escape.
Malnutrition, torture, severe punishment, executions, unsanitary conditions, prostitution, rape, violence, human trafficking, slavery and oppression are the key terms to describe the present situation in North Korea where violations of human rights continue to escalate and human suffering soars.”
Is this the government you want to defend? Seriously? OMFG.
Well Jim, you certainly found another interesting example of software. I cannot say that I will ever be interested in running it, but it was interesting to read about it, and it is also interesting to read the very charged comments from people across many ends of the spectrum.
One thing that we can value, and I hope that we can retain it for a very long time, is the freedom of speech. We have people lambasting even the mention of this topic, criticizing you, then others criticizing North Korea and anything associated with it, then we have some others taking shots at a variety of things.
I can’t say that I agree or disagree with any of them, but what I greatly value here is the freedom of speech and the mere fact that someone like you can evaluate software like this, and people like us can come in here and talk about it, even rant about it. Is that really possible everywhere? I am not sure whether it is or it isn’t, but my guess is that open opinions are not welcome everywhere.
Congratulations to you, Jim, for once again daring to venture into something that’s not popular to think about, but apparently quite a few people will comment on it. I hope that your blog and your forums continue to attract interest. I certainly intend to continue following and promoting them.
As for Red Star OS or whatever we choose to call it, I’ll pass, but I did definitely appreciate reading this piece! :-)
Way to defuse the politically charged atmosphere of the comments by openly attacking yet another country that isn’t even mentioned by name in the article… stay classy.@ Arup:
North Korea Linux is best Linux!
One thing that drew me to read this is, have they developed any programs of their own?
Then I could see myself curious. Otherwise it’s just a distribution, but abit out of age (KDE 3.5 and kernel?).
Oh well, it’s a sad situation in N Korea. Could have been a good contributor to the world, if the regime was different.
Beelzebud wrote:
You may well feel that way, and you are entitled to have that opinion. It simply prompts me to ask, “What makes you feel that way?” What is it about North Korea Linux that leads to to exclaim that it is the “best Linux!”?
I have a number of “best Linux” distributions to suit my needs that depend on what I am doing. I like sidux as an every day cutting edge system based on Debian Sid technology, I like antiX as a lean, fast, and flexible system based on Debian Testing technology, and I like SimplyMEPIS as a simple, rock stable, easy to use system based on a stable Debian core.
I like and use many other derivatives of various types. The Debian varieties are my favorites, but I use Slackware and Red Hat variants too and enjoy them. I’ve recently enjoyed using Absolute Linux (Slackware derivative), Peppermint OS One (Ubuntu derivative), openSUSE 11.3 (long standing system with original roots in Slackware packaging, but well over a decade using Red Hat packaging, very much has its own unique design, very strong in interoperability with Windows, perhaps one of the best in this role), Mandriva Cooker, another system using Red Hat packaging that has been a popular system for well over a decade; I like the Cooker to check out the latest software.
OK, that’s just a hint of some of the things that I like. Now do tell us why Red Star OS, a.k.a. North Korea Linux (as termed by Jim) is “best Linux” for you?
N. Korea Linux is not the only Red linux out there. There are 4 or 5 distros coming out of China with some regularity. One of the is Red Flag.