According to the Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper in Japan, students from Geumsong No. 2 Middle School outperformed competitors from over 20 universities to win the university division at the "College Student Programming Contest - 2025," held at Kim Chaek University of Technology on July 29. The photo shows students participating in the contest. Yonhap News. 

It has been noted that North Korea is closely monitoring trends in free online course programs offered by prestigious U.S. universities.

The latest issue of "Computer and Program Technology" (published June 23, 2025), a journal from North Korea's Central Scientific and Technological Information Agency obtained by Yonhap News on the 7th, features an article by Ri Gwang-ho titled "Development Trends in Distance Education."

The author noted, "In 2012, a university established 'Udacity' and 'Coursera,' network operators that provide Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) education, while two other universities jointly established 'edX,' a network operator related to this field."

Coursera, the largest platform for massive open online courses in the U.S., was founded in 2012 after two computer science professors at Stanford University signed partnership agreements with Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor).

Udacity, a platform launched around the same time, focuses on IT and practical technical education, while edX was created through a collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University to provide high-quality university-level lectures.

The author reported that China’s Ministry of Education established a system in 2015 to recognize academic credits earned through these various platforms. He added that as of April 2024, there were over 76,800 online open courses registered in China, with 454 million users.

The author expressed significant interest by stating, "According to a trend analysis study on MOOC education conducted by an educational organization, 74% of researchers suggested that the effectiveness of this direct online education is comparable to, or even superior to, classroom-based instruction."

Since the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2321 in November 2016, which prohibits scientific and technological cooperation with North Korea, academic exchanges and the invitation of foreign professors have become practically impossible for the country.

It is possible that elite researchers are compensating for these academic limitations by taking online courses from abroad.

North Korea is also utilizing distance education to narrow the educational gap between Pyongyang and regional areas.

In February 2010, Kim Chaek University of Technology introduced a "distance university" as a pilot project, and in 2020, the "Law on Distance Education" was adopted at the 3rd Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly, providing a legal foundation for the system.

Kim Chaek University of Technology, Han Tok Su Pyongyang University of Light Industry, Sukchon Agricultural College, Kye Ung Sang Sariwon Agricultural College, and Pyongyang Medical College are among those currently operating distance education faculties.

However, for distance education to proceed smoothly, the supply of smart devices such as computers, tablet PCs, and smartphones is a prerequisite, and it is reported that it is not easy for economically marginalized rural areas to properly equip themselves with such devices.

Yonhap News