The same techniques used to lock down US phones from owners is the same one NK is using.

Or do you think those "features" were added in just for the totalitarian markets?

The features you're talking about were developed to close legitimate security holes before they were ever used to lock anyone out from their phones.

The companies that manufacture and distribute phones think that user access to their own phones is a legitimate security hole.

Mobile devices move around. A device that assumes physical possession equals ownership is not secure.

I will agree that bootloaders should be unlockable, but to argue that locking functionality shouldn’t exist is arguing in favor of physical security vulnerabilities.