North Korea`s self-developed software operating system named the "Red Star" was brought to light for the first time by a Russian satellite broadcaster yesterday.

North Korea`s top IT experts began developing the Red Star in 2006, but its composition and operation mechanisms were unknown until the internet version of the Russia Today-TV featured the system, citing the blog of a Russian student who goes to the Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang.

The Red Star is based on Linux, a free and open software operating system, but looks a lot like the Microsoft Windows on display. It also has a similar user interface.

The desktop display of Red Star is almost identical to that of MS Windows.



A Red Star logo is shown on the lower left corner of the screen where MS Windows has a start button. It has most of the basic MS Windows icons such as a Trash Bin and My Computer. Only, the names of the icons are slightly different from the Korean version of MS Windows.

Application programs such as a Web browser and a word processor which also resemble MS products come in separate discs.

The Russian student paid about $5 worth of North Korean currency for the Red Star and $10 for an application program disc, according to RT-TV.

The Web browser named "My Country" allows internet surfing only through the search engine called "My Country BBS," reflecting the North`s closed online network that runs separately from the worldwide Web.

The North Korean equivalent of the MS Office "Woori" features compositions, user interface and colors that are similar to those of MS Word and Powerpoint.

(sophie@heraldm.com)





By Kim So-hyun