And in N. Korea, this would be more like sticks and grass. Their food situation is so dire that their gov't distributed official information on edible grasses and barks that can be used to stretch meals.

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as a Korean-American (hell, I was born here, so I'm technically just "American"), I have been asked countless times "is your family from North or South Korea?"

If we were from the North, we'd either be eating bark off trees right now or hiding in China. I don't ask someone from North Carolina if they are different from the people in South Carolina. Or North/South Dakota. Or Northern/Southern Cali. Well, Northern vs Southern Cali might be a stretch to call them the same... :-P jk

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I know plenty of Korean Americans that have family stuck in North Korea. Not their parents of course, but grandparents, aunts, uncles, sure. And there are slight variations in culture and cuisine that come from those roots. And the current crisis impacts them (usually via their parents) slightly differently.

And even more South Koreans struggle with the same problem. Hell Hyundai's founder and the company have a long history of family ties and economic investment in North Korea.

So sure, the newest cell phone technology isn't going to come from North Korea (or any technology...of any kind), but to act like the links between North Korea and the South or the diaspora are long broken just isn't accurate.

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