bright light)[1][2] is a North Korean national intranet service[3] opened in the early 2000s.

The Kwangmyong intranet system stands in contrast to the global Internet in North Korea, which is available to fewer people in the country.

[5] North Koreans often find it more convenient to access sites by their IP address rather than by domain name using Latin characters.

[16][17][18] Prior to 2006, North Koreans would use intranet chat rooms to organize meetups to play sports, such as basketball.

[21][22][23] A video conferencing system called Rakwon was developed at Kim Il-sung University in 2010.

[9] Websites of various North Korean government agencies including provincial government, cultural institutions, major universities and libraries, some local schools, and some of the major industrial and commercial organizations are accessible to users.

[26][32][35] A Facebook-like social networking service in use by professors and university students existed as of 2013, and was used to post birthday messages.

[33] Reportedly a travel website allowed North Koreans to plan vacations within the country.

[39] For example, a library at the Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex provides access to the intranet, and is reportedly used by different types of people, including factory workers, children and researchers for various purposes.

[9][58] These cafes, also known as "PC rooms" or "Information Technology Stores", began appearing across North Korea as soon as the early 2000s, and can be accessed for a fee.

As of 2005, the price for accessing these services was considered prohibitively expensive for the average North Korean citizen, according to Daily NK.

[11][19][60][61] As of 2010, an estimated 200,000 such personal computers were in Pyongyang private homes, and access to the Kwangmyong is more common among people in cities compared to those in rural areas.

[33][69] According to Radio Free Asia, the government began requiring cell phone users to install surveillance software through an app to access the intranet in 2022.

The app, called the Kwangmyong app, connects users to their subscriptions to the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper and other educational and informational services but also contains surveillance software which allows the Ministry of State Security and other law enforcement agencies to track their locations and see if they're accessing foreign content.

[70] In 2018, North Korea unveiled a new Wi-Fi service called Mirae ("Future"), which allowed mobile devices to access the intranet network in Pyongyang.

[72][73][74][75] The network uses Korean as the main interface language, though the government's web portal (Naenara), is multilingual.

[79] Thus, sensitive topics and information are unlikely to surface on Kwangmyong due to the absence of a link to the outside world and the censorship that occurs.

[32][60] The operating systems of government-approved phones reject access to any applications that are not also approved by the government.

Information is filtered and processed by government agencies before being hosted on the North Korean Intranet.

[5] (Comprehensive database) Science and Technology Complex Namsan (Grand People's Study House) Bright Light (Central Information Agency for Science and Technology) Craze (Central Science and Technology Distribution Center) (Central database by field) Education Education (Kim Il Sung University) Medicine Disease Free (Pyongyang Medical College of Kim Il Sung University) Technology Future (Kim Chaek University of Technology) Architecture Pyongyang University of Architecture Construction, design 5.21 (Construction Design Information Center) Invention, patent Invention (State Invention Office) Brand, industrial design Scout (Central Industrial Art Center) Standards Tomorrow (Korean National Institute of Standards) Athletics Winner (Institute of Sports Science) Forestry Golden Mountain (Central Tree Nursery, Ministry of Land and Environment Conservation [ko]) Nanotechnology Nanotechnology (National Nanotechnology Center) Provincial libraries Night View (Jagang Province Library) Endeavor (North Hamgyong Province Library) Dawn (South Hamgyong Province Library) Choryong (Kangwon Province Library) North Phyongan Province Library Ryesonggang (North Hwanghae Library) South Hwanghae Library Rason City Library Snail (Nampho City Library) (Tele-education database) Ryongnamsan (Kim Il Sung University) Wonjongjang (Pyongyang Medical College of Kim Il Sung University) Ultimate Goal (Kim Chaek University of Technology) Moche (Pyongyang University of Mechanical Engineering) Sonhaenggwan (Pyongyang University of Railways) Loyalty (Pyongyang Jang Chol Gu University of Commerce) Talent (Pyongyang Han Tok Su University of Light Industry) Wonsan Jong Jun Thaek University of Economics Miscellaneous Kim Il Sung University Immortal Flower (Korea Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Committee) Kulaksae (Kim Il Sung University Information Technology Center) Black Anvil (North Hwanghae Province Sangwon County Library) Koryo Medicine (Academy of Koryo Medicine) Pillar (Chongjin University of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering) Companion (North Hamgyong Province Information Agency for Science and Technology) Science (State Academy of Sciences) Science and Technology Exhibition House Open Field (Central Internet Institute) Rodong Sinmun Ryonggang County Library (Nampho City Ryonggang County Library) Ryugyong Recreation Area (Artificial Intelligence Research Institute) Manbang (Central Broadcasting Committee of Korea) Manbyongcho (Pyongyang Jang Chol Gu University of Commerce Library) Mokran (Mokran Kwangmyong Company) Quarantine (State Invention Office) Legal Life (Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly) Flame (Phyongsong University of Coal Mining) Red Star (Red Star Research Institute) Jump (Three-Revolution Exhibition House) Paektusan (Paektusan Institute of Architecture) Performance (Institute of Commercial Science) Pioneer (South Hamgyong Province Information Agency for Science and Technology) Report (Ministry of People's Security) Mystical Energy (Kyemyong Technology Development Company) Profit (Pyongyang Kwangmyong IT Corporation) Profit Antivirus (Pyongyang Kwangmyong IT Corporation) Saebyol Technology Exchange Company New Century (Central Information Agency for Science and Technology) Life (Medical Science and Technology Corporation) Jangjagang (Jagang Province Electronic Business Research Institute) Jonmanbong (Huichon University of Telecommunications) Data 21 (Pyongyang Information Technology Bureau) Korean Dishes (Korea Cooking Association) Korean Central News Agency Central Mushroom Research Institute (State Academy of Sciences Central Mushroom Research Institute) Aim (Hamhung University of Chemical Engineering) Jindallae (Mangyongdae IT Corporation) Changsong County Library (North Phyongan Province Changsong County Library) Changjon (Taedonggang Building Materials Factory) Chollima (Central Information and Communications Center) Chollima Tile Factory Iron Wall (Information Security Research Center) Checom Technology Joint Venture Company Phyongbuk (North Phyongan Province Electronic Business Research Institute) Pyongyangsong (Pyongyang Information Technology Bureau) Pyongyang Taekkyon (Taekwondo Sanctuary) Aspiration (Agricultural College of Phyongbuk University) Blue Silk (State Academy of Sciences Turf Branch Institute) Quality (State Commission of Quality Management) Hakmujong (Jagang Province Jonchon County Library) Echo (Pyongyang Information Technology Bureau) Haedanghwakwan (Haedanghwa Exchange Company) Ocean (Ministry of Land and Maritime Transport [ko]) Arirang (May 11 Factory) Morning (Central Committee of the General Federation of Science and Technology of Korea) Okryu (People's Service General Bureau) Space (Satellite Information Service Branch) Wonsan University of Agriculture Below is a list of sites that are not directly listed on www.sciteco.aca.kp (the Kwangmyong website portal) in 2016 and sites that have been confirmed to have been created on Kwangmyong after 2016.