Radio Free Asia says North Korea plans to import roughly 100-thousand smartphones from China this year.

Quoting a remark that a Chinese government official posted on the microblogging site Sina Weibo, Radio Free Asia said Tuesday that China will export around 500-thousand mobile phones, including 100-thousand smartphones, to North Korea this year.

The Chinese official said that the smartphones being exported to the North are sold at around 180-thousand won in China but in the North they sell for 510-thousand won.

Radio Free Asia said the profits that the North earns from the imported smarphones go into the North Korean government’s coffers, adding that the smartphone users in the North are mainly the wealthy and senior party officials.

The number of mobile phone subscribers in North Korea has surpassed two million. Services of video calls and subscription of the Rodong Sinmun are known to be provided in a limited manner.