S. Korea's spy agency seeks to block access to N. Korea's propaganda YouTube channel

Footage of the "Olivia Natasha" channel, run by a young North Korean female Youtuber, named YuMi is seen in this undated photo. Yonhap

South Korea's spy agency on Tuesday asked the country's internet censorship body to block access to a North Korean propaganda YouTube channel, officials said.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the request to block access to the "Olivia Natasha" channel, run by a young North Korean female Youtuber, named YuMi, the officials of the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) said.

The KCSC plans to hold a meeting next week to review the request.

Last year, South Korea blocked access to three YouTube channels — the Sally Parks SongA Channel, Olivia Natasha-YuMi Space DPRK daily and New DPRK — on the grounds that they had been operated for North Korea's propaganda purposes.

U.S. tech giant Google shut down the Olivia Natasha channel in June last year, but new videos were uploaded on YuMi's new account.

The latest footage, uploaded in January, featured her showing off a luxurious life, including preparations for a year-end family dinner with king crab.

Mobilizing young North Korean women and children as key narrators, North Korea appears to attempt to shift away from its traditional propaganda method to a more engaging style targeting a wider global audience.

The NIS earlier said North Korea is expected to ramp up cyberattacks and psychological warfare against South Korea ahead of April's general elections. (Yonhap)