guy who wrote the blog here. happy to answer any questions
Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
11–20 of 33 posts
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#12From the linked 38north.org article: > An older version of the app, version 1.1, was previously detailed by Alek Sigley, an Australian student who previously lived in Pyongyang while studying at Kim Il Sung University. How does that work? Do they just let foreigners into their University? And does this get accepted in any western state? Also, good luck ever working for a defense company or anything sensitive after th…
They do, yes: http://www.ryongnamsan.edu.kp/univ/en/education/internationa...
> Studying at Kim Il Sung University, foreign students and apprentices can not only acquire the Korean language but also have a better understanding of Korea's time-honored history and its thrilling reality.
“Thrilling reality” is an interesting end to that sentence.
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#13From the linked 38north.org article: > An older version of the app, version 1.1, was previously detailed by Alek Sigley, an Australian student who previously lived in Pyongyang while studying at Kim Il Sung University. How does that work? Do they just let foreigners into their University? And does this get accepted in any western state? Also, good luck ever working for a defense company or anything sensitive after th…
On my vacation in Cuba some years ago, I found out that there are quite many westerners going there to learns Spanish in Cuban educational institutions. There were also university students who were there to participate in vocational education in Cuba-specific product manufacturing like rum. AFAIK even in Soviet times there were friendship programs and partnerships with the West to build civil ties which facilitated student exchanges etc, so I wouldn't be surprised if there are for DPRK too. I also recall something about joint programs with Korea/DPRK/EU/US to do production in special zones inside DPRK.
Except for Americans, the place was full of western tourists like me and my HSBC cards worked just fine. Those insulated places might not be as insulated as the general perception leads you to believe. The internet situation was PIA, though I hear its much better now.
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#14From the linked 38north.org article: > An older version of the app, version 1.1, was previously detailed by Alek Sigley, an Australian student who previously lived in Pyongyang while studying at Kim Il Sung University. How does that work? Do they just let foreigners into their University? And does this get accepted in any western state? Also, good luck ever working for a defense company or anything sensitive after th…
And does this get accepted in any western state? What do you mean “accepted”? Is it illegal to learn in a country even if it’s a dictatorship? Last two Kims and The Sister got education in Europe, btw. New kids will do so too and then will return to reign.
Sorry for the unclear question, I wasn’t sure how to phrase that and didn’t look it up to confirm. I meant „can you transfer any credits to a western university“.
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#15> Options to share via Bluetooth and 3G and a third unknown option that lets you enter an address
That option is labeled 통보문 (tongbomun), North Korean for "text message," and the second screen asks for the address and phone number, presumably of the contact to send a text message to. That's likely why the app has the ic_launcher_smsmms.png icon.
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
And does this get accepted in any western state? What do you mean “accepted”? Is it illegal to learn in a country even if it’s a dictatorship? Last two Kims and The Sister got education in Europe, btw. New kids will do so too and then will return to reign.
> What do you mean “accepted”? Universities have to be accredited for other universities to accept their transfer credits. If companies want you to have a four-year degree then they have to believe you when you say you have one. > Is it illegal to learn in a country even if it’s a dictatorship? It's illegal for US citizens to do a lot of things with North Korea specifically, if you don't have permission first. That's…
> That's how economic sanctions work.
Those are political sanctions desguised as economic sanction.
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
> What do you mean “accepted”? Universities have to be accredited for other universities to accept their transfer credits. If companies want you to have a four-year degree then they have to believe you when you say you have one. > Is it illegal to learn in a country even if it’s a dictatorship? It's illegal for US citizens to do a lot of things with North Korea specifically, if you don't have permission first. That's…
> That's how economic sanctions work. Those are political sanctions desguised as economic sanction.
The point is to make it harder for them to raise money to spend on building nukes. It's not meant to change their mind by making them feel bad or something.
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#18From the linked 38north.org article: > An older version of the app, version 1.1, was previously detailed by Alek Sigley, an Australian student who previously lived in Pyongyang while studying at Kim Il Sung University. How does that work? Do they just let foreigners into their University? And does this get accepted in any western state? Also, good luck ever working for a defense company or anything sensitive after th…
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Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#19guy who wrote the blog here. happy to answer any questions
Are there any suspicious blanks in the map or missing buildings? Apparently the North Korean leadership don't like to be reminded of the unfinished Ryugyong Hotel[1], or more prosaically there may be missing military sites and the like.
[1] From Wikipedia: "The government manipulated official photographs in order to remove the unfinished structure from the skyline, and excluded it from printed maps of Pyongyang" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel)
Re: Inspecting North Korea's Digital Map App: Licensing and API Insights
#20guy who wrote the blog here. happy to answer any questions
Are there any suspicious blanks in the map or missing buildings? Apparently the North Korean leadership don't like to be reminded of the unfinished Ryugyong Hotel[1], or more prosaically there may be missing military sites and the like. [1] From Wikipedia: "The government manipulated official photographs in order to remove the unfinished structure from the skyline, and excluded it from printed maps of Pyongyang" ( ht…
NTA but in the linked 38north article[0] it says:
>However, not everything is detailed. In addition to numerous buildings having no labels, sensitive areas of the city, such as the Korean Workers’ Party complex in central Pyongyang and the Mirim Parade Training Ground, have no details, roads or building outlines.
[0] https://www.38north.org/2024/01/a-close-up-look-at-north-kor...