This case study delves into the largely unexplored realm of user experience (UX) d esign within North Korea, a nation known for its secrecy. The paper presents an exploration of the UX in the North Korean information technology sector, specifically examining the graphical user interface (GUI) of North Korean Android smartphones. The stud y addresses two key questions. First, North Korea's political approach to Google's Material Design , the prevalent UX standard for Android, which originates from a company situated in an adversarial nation. Second, the adaptation of North Korean GUI design to global trends, such as skeuomorphism and flat design. The study began with an initial comparati ve analysis of South and North Korean smartphones, followed by two data collection activities on a North Korean mobile device. The first activity involved expert reviews by seven GUI designers, and the second activity included user evaluations by eight UX design majoring graduate students. The collected qualitative data were analyzed using grounded theory's open coding principles. The findings of this study off er insights into the unique characteristics and design contexts of North Korean GUIs, thereby contributing to an understanding of their digital visual design and laying the groundwork for further research in the field of UX design within the country.

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