North Korea's Blue Sky Establishes Overseas Smartphone Joint Research Hub

Claims have emerged that Blue Sky, a North Korean IT company developing smartphones and IT products, has established an overseas R&D hub to conduct joint research and development with other countries.

According to sources familiar with North Korea, the magazine Geumsu Gangsan, published by North Korea's Today's Fatherland Publishing House, introduced Blue Sky's activities in its September 2025 issue.

Geumsugangsan specifically stated, “Blue Sky is expanding its R&D bases not only domestically (in North Korea) but also overseas, actively pursuing both independent development and joint development projects with various countries, including those in Asia and Europe.”

Geumsugangsan explained that electronics and IT products bearing the Blue Sky brand are gaining popularity in North Korea.

Blue Sky products are recognized as premium products among users due to the stability of their operating systems (OS) and excellent device performance.

Geumsu Gangsan reported that Blue Sky products, including mobile phones, digital TVs, and computers, are annually evaluated as top-tier or excellent information technology products. These products are manufactured at the Blue Sky Electronics Factory under Blue Sky Trading Company. Established in 2014, Blue Sky reportedly owns an information technology research institute and retail stores in addition to the factory.

Geumsu Gangsan asserted that Blue Sky is a comprehensive, development-creative high-tech enterprise that has achieved the integration of cutting-edge IT research, diverse electronic product manufacturing, and large-scale commercial and e-commerce operations.

Last year, Blue Sky was selected for the seventh time as one of North Korea's Top 10 Outstanding IT Enterprises. Geumsu Gangsan introduced that the secret to this success lies in the company's advanced and unique management approach.

Blue Sky operates under three core management principles: enhancing leading-edge technological capabilities, ensuring the highest quality, and providing after-sales service. Its Information Technology Research Institute, staffed by over 100 outstanding researchers, specializes in developing cutting-edge technologies and products like artificial intelligence (AI), anti-counterfeiting technology, and the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as commercial product development and operating an IT-based service system.

Geumsugangsan reported that the printing press authentication technology and security monitoring system developed by Blue Sky have been introduced and are receiving positive evaluations.

Geumsugangsan emphasized that no matter how cutting-edge the technology, it cannot be called a premium product without guaranteed quality, highlighting the importance of ensuring rigorous quality from the very selection of R&D targets. Blue Sky is said to have established a rigorous quality management system covering the entire process—from development target selection to development, production, sales, and post-sales service—to enhance the overall quality of its products.

Furthermore, Blue Sky reportedly synthesizes opinions raised by consumers and customers after product sales, constructively incorporating them into research and production to realize more advanced new products.

As introduced by Geumsu Gangsan, Blue Sky is developing smartphones, monitors, computers, and other products. Blue Sky is known as one of North Korea's major smartphone development companies.

According to Geumsu Gangsan's claim, Blue Sky appears to have established overseas branches. North Korean IT companies are already active in China, India, Southeast Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Blue Sky appears to have established bases to secure the technology and components needed for product development and to facilitate overseas exports. However, given North Korea's status under international sanctions, it is highly likely they are operating discreetly and quietly.

Meanwhile, Blue Sky appears to have independently developed its own mobile operating system (OS). The North Korean English-language magazine Overseas Trade, Issue 3, 2025, introduced the 23rd Pyongyang Spring International Trade Fair held in Pyongyang from May 12 to 16, 2025. Among the event photos featured in the magazine, an image was captured showing Blue Sky introducing its smartphone operating system, Blue Sky 4.0. This indicates that Blue Sky has developed its own OS, Blue Sky, and that it has reached version 4.0.

In this regard, some claim that the Blue Sky smartphone OS is not based on Android but on the Red Star OS. They suggest that North Korea created its smartphone OS based on the Red Star OS, which is difficult for other countries to analyze, to strengthen mobile and communication security. However, this information is known to require more specific and additional verification.

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This article was translated by the artificial intelligence service DeepL.