Hacking Pyongyang’s Secrets…

(via Gizmodo)

One very ballsy PhD student by the name of Curtis Melvin has used Google Earth as a platform to lay bare the infrastructure of North Korea. He is utilizing intel gathered by a network of amateur spies! It’s now at version 17, so it’s really up to date and a constant work-in-progress.

As you can see, it really includes everything you can think about, from nuclear power plants to military communication towers to ostrich farms to not-secret-anymore prison camps. And of course, all surrounded by all kind of crap and poverty, all courtesy of Kim Jong-il, one of the biggest asses in the history of evil dictators.

How did Curtis get all this info? Easy—and risky: Using his own trips and a network of curious amateur spies who have been visiting the country through these two years. Truly impressive work.

Here’s the KMZ file (Google Earth required). Here’s Melvin’s site – North Korean Economy Watch.

Rachel Maddow interviewed Melvin as well:

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Previously: North and South Korea – A Case Study in Linguistic Evolution