North Korea opens first computer gaming club as part of broader “modernizing” plans

North Korea has launched its first computer gaming center, giving users access to video games and the national intranet.

The facility, located in Pyongyang, was inaugurated by leader Kim Jong Un, Caliber.Az reports citing Daily NK.

According to the article citing state media, the center can host up to 300 visitors, mainly high school and university students. To enter, guests must present an ID or student card and sign a logbook.

One hour of use costs 5,000 North Korean won (about $5.50), with electronic monthly passes also available. Payments are accepted in cash, by card, or through electronic wallets.

The club’s computers feature simple games such as racing and horse-racing simulators, as well as media content approved by the state. Users can also access the national intranet. Additional services include ordering food and drinks, along with printing and photocopying. A portion of the revenue goes to the Socialist Patriotic Youth League.

The report emphasizes that “all user activity is strictly monitored.” Police and state security services are also expected to conduct regular inspections.

Similar centers are reportedly planned in Wonsan, Sinuiju, and Hamhung.

The launch aligns with Kim Jong Un’s drive to “steadily explore and expand new service fields in fresh forms and ways … to radically improve the material and cultural well-being of the citizens of the capital city and the people across the country.” During the gaming center’s opening, he also suggested that Pyongyang would soon witness a rise in private car ownership while visiting the city’s latest skyscraper housing project.

As NK News notes, the introduction of new amenities within the fourth stage of Kim’s 50,000-home construction initiative in Pyongyang signals a subtle but significant shift in his social vision — presenting the country as more modern and consumer-oriented.

By Nazrin Sadigova