.kp

.kp
Introduced 2007
TLD type Country code top-level domain
Status Active
Registry Star Joint Venture
Sponsor Star Joint Venture (Korea Computer Center)
Intended use Entities connected with
 North Korea
Actual use Used mainly by government
Registered domains 9 (As of April 22nd, 2017)[1]
Registration restrictions Must be a company, organisation, or government entity based in North Korea
Website www.star.co.kp

.kp is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea). It was created on 24 September 2007.[2]

History

North Korea applied for the .kp Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) in 2004. ICANN, however, refused because North Korea did not meet some of the requirements. Another attempt was made via Korea Computer Center (KCC) Europe in 2006. Later, the main body of KCC and the North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations petitioned ICANN again. They were refused again for providing insufficient information. A new application was sent in January 2007 and an ICANN delegation visited the country in May. This time ICANN agreed to assign .kp to North Korea.[3]

Domains and Subdomains

As of 2017, at least nine .kp top level domains[4] and 30 domains are registered. These are as follows:[5]

Previously, the .kp domain was managed by Korea Computer Center (KCC) Europe. A large number of .kp websites were also hosted by KCC Europe in Germany. However, as of 2012, management has been transferred to the Pyongyang-based Star Joint Venture.[8]

Some .kp addresses are used by the North Korean Intranet only.[9]

Internet in North Korea

Access to the internet in North Korea remains rare and tightly restricted; Reporters Without Borders once described the nation as "the world’s worst Internet black hole"[10] as the "Internet officially does not exist in the world’s most isolated country, but a handful of privileged people are allowed to go online through the phone system (which is routed through China) or via satellite." [11] According to former leader Kim Jong-il, "I'm an Internet expert too. It's all right to wire the industrial zone only, but there are many problems if other regions of the North are wired." [12]

On 9 October 2010, in conjunction with its 65th anniversary of independence, the DPRK made a block of IP addresses available for use within the country. Hosting of sites and general access was provided by China Netcom. This allowed for Net access to journalists reporting on the anniversary celebrations.[13]

As of February 2013, foreigners can access the internet using a 3G phone network installed by Orascom, but access to this network for North Korean citizens is limited to phone calls.[14][15]

Censorship of North Korean websites

South Korea has banned at least 31 sites considered sympathetic to North Korea through the use of IP blocking.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Coldewey, Devin (20 September 2016). "North Korea accidentally lets slip all its .KP domains — and there aren't many". TechCrunch. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Preliminary Report for Special Meeting of the ICANN Board of Directors". 11 September 2007.
  3. ↑ Seliger, Bernhard; Schmidt, Stefan (2010). The Hermit Kingdom Goes Online: Information Technology, Internet Use and Communication Policy in North Korea. Jefferson: McFarland. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-4766-1770-1.
  4. ↑ "North Korea’s DNS files reveal few Internet websites". North Korea Tech. September 2016.
  5. ↑ Bryant, Matthew (21 September 2016). "NorthKoreaDNSLeak". GitHub. TL;DR Project. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "New Website Opened". Naenara Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  7. ↑ Williams, Martyn (19 July 2017). "North Korea's tourism agency is online". North Korea Tech. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  8. ↑ ".kp domain assigned to Star JV". North Korea Tech. 3 May 2011.
  9. ↑ Kyungmin Ko; Seungkwon Jang; Heejin Lee (2008). ".kp North Korea". Digital Review of Asia Pacific 2007/2008. IDRC. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-7619-3674-9.
  10. ↑ "13 worst enemies of the Internet : North Korea". Reporters sans frontières. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008.
  11. ↑ "The Internet Under Surveillance: North Korea". Reporters sans frontières. Archived from the original on 25 August 2003.
  12. ↑ "North Korea's Kim Jong Il: I'm an Internet Expert". FoxNews.com. 5 October 2007.
  13. ↑ "North Korea opens up Internet for national anniversary". ComputerWorld. 9 October 2010.
  14. ↑ "North Korea to offer mobile internet access". BBC. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  15. ↑ Caitlin Dewey (26 February 2013). "Instagrams from within North Korea lift the veil, but only slightly". Washington Post. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Christian Oliver (1 April 2010). "Sinking underlines South Korean view of state as monster". London: Financial Times. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
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