North Korean province launches student tracking app, but glitches pile up

North Korean officials in South Hamgyong province recently introduced a student tracking app for high schools. This app allows students to borrow library books and join after-school clubs on their mobile devices. However, since the app's September 2026 launch, technical issues have plagued its implementation. According to a local source, the system went live on September 10.

The provincial education department launched the app in senior middle schools as part of a modernization initiative for the new academic year. The app requires students to download a QR code for library book borrowing or reserving and allows them to register for multiple clubs in academic, arts, sports, and technical fields. The government intends to log students' reading history and club activities in real-time on a provincial server, using this data for academic evaluations and career placement decisions.

Despite the app's intended benefits, network instability and device compatibility issues have caused widespread confusion. Some areas have experienced data synchronization failures of up to 40%. Teachers also complain about compatibility problems across various phone models, which have increased their administrative workload. The rollout has sparked debate over fairness and equal access to school services.

Students without smartphones or outdated devices may be excluded from borrowing books and signing up for clubs. While mobile phone usage has increased in North Korea, smartphone ownership is uneven, and network coverage outside urban areas remains unreliable. A senior middle school teacher in Hamhung called the rollout a "textbook case of armchair administration," criticizing officials for launching the system without assessing students' phone ownership, school networks, or power supplies.

Schools vary significantly in their IT infrastructure, exacerbating the problem. Rural schools lack adequate network connections and equipment, leading to login delays and outages during club registration. Schools and parents must also cover part of the cost of QR code scanners installed in libraries, causing complaints from families facing financial strain due to informal school-related payments.

While the government claims the new system modernizes education, the rollout's challenges highlight the need for improved network coverage and phone distribution. Without addressing these basic conditions, concerns persist that the education gap will widen further.