Secretive North Korea Uncovered – Google Earth Amateur Spies
The day when Curtis Melvin, a PhD student at George Mason University, decided to start the “North Korea Uncovered” project is now marked in history; April 4 2007. Two years since it has became the definitive reference for the country’s economic and geographic secrets, thanks to an army of amateur spies.
Mr. Martin described the project like this – “This Google Earth project offers an extensive mapping of North Korea’s economic, cultural, political, and military infrastructures. Through the topic menu, users of this program have easy access to geographical information on North Korea’s agriculture projects, aviation facilities, communications, hospitals, hotels, energy infrastructure, financial services, leisure destinations, manufacturing facilities, markets, mines, religious locations, restaurants, schools, and transportation infrastructure. In addition to locations of economic interest, this map also displays anti-aircraft locations, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Northern Line Limit Line (NLL), incarceration facilities, political monuments, political residencies, military bases, and nuclear facilities.”
As you can tell from the granularity displayed, the earth satellite map project really includes everything you can imagine in a city, from military buildings and communication towers, agricultural and poultry farms, nuclear power plants, including not so secret anymore North Korean prison camps. We can even divulge into the surroundings viewing the problematic poverty; signs that Kim Jong-il, the country’s leader, continues making history as one of notable evil dictators.
You might wonder how did Curtis get all this information. Martin used his own personal trips to the country along with a network of curious amateur spies who have been visiting the country over these two years. Truly courageous and amazing work.
