Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Mobile Subscriptions

Mobile subscriptions in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have risen from zero in 1960 to an all‑time peak of 31.01 per 100 people in 2025, placing the country at rank 204 globally. The 51‑year trajectory shows a prolonged period of negligible penetration, with the trough recorded in 2008 at 0.00, before a rapid expansion in the 2010s that lifted the nation into the same range as peers such as Tonga (29.06) and Papua New Guinea (35.06). The steep increase reflects extensive state‑led rollout of 3G and 4G networks, albeit constrained by limited international roaming and sanctions that restrict access to newer technologies. Despite the recent surge, subscription density remains well below the world average, indicating considerable room for growth as the regime modernises its telecom infrastructure and potentially relaxes restrictions on foreign investment. Continued expansion is likely if policy reforms accelerate the deployment of 5G services and broaden consumer affordability.