Started by Curtis Melvin – a PhD student at George Mason University – the “North Korea Uncovered” project set out to reveal North Korea’s secrets. While it started in April 4 2007, he has already amassed a wealth of information by leveraging a community of amateur spies. While risky, it turned out to be very easy, and the secrets are now available for all to see.
Curtis describes 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.
North Korean landmarks seen in Google Earth
Truly impressive work. Get it here
This is yet another example of a coordinated and willing community empowering themselves, and achieving what would be unimaginable only a few years ago. Perhaps the “eye in the sky” or the “big brother” could be a label worn by the community too.
