North Korea is a country known for its secrecy, particularly after it closed its borders at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, one social media user claimed to have gained a rare glimpse into the country with the help of a drone.
About a year before North Korea allowed, and then quickly restricted, Western tourists for the first time in five years, a drone owner posted on Reddit, claiming they flew their device from China into North Korea.
They shared the images captured by the drone online, with the caption: “Drone pics of North Korea, I was in China, my drone flew across the border.”
(Reddit/u/XiaoHao2)
The images, indeed captured from a drone soaring above a metropolitan area, quickly drew the attention of curious users eager to catch a glimpse of the notoriously secretive region.
The post has garnered over 145,000 upvotes and features pictures of a large building adorned with images of Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea, as well as his son, Kim Jong-il.
Users noted how the streets in the images seem unnervingly empty, especially for what appears to be a large city. While it’s unclear when the images were taken, it’s evident that it’s daytime.
In some of the shots, people on the ground can even be seen looking up and pointing at the drone as it flies overhead.
Reddit/u/XiaoHao2
One individual shared their thoughts, saying: “Am I losing it, or is there absolutely no street drainage? And no traffic lights either. It feels like a concrete version of a city.”
Another person remarked: “It’s fascinating how the uncanny valley affects non-living things too. This looks almost like a real city, but it’s unsettling.”
However, the most frequent reaction to these photos wasn’t focused on what was captured, but rather on the photographer themselves.
Posts from the pics
community on Reddit
Redditors quickly pointed out that the person operating the drone could have faced serious consequences for breaching the border, with one commenter noting: “That’s a risky move.”
Other users were curious about how the individual had managed to cross the border so effortlessly, with one writing: “This guy just invaded North Korea by himself.”
Another chimed in with a joke: “If this random guy with a store-bought drone can spy on North Korea so easily, imagine the kind of intel the US has. US intelligence must be thinking, ‘Wait a minute, we spent millions on spy satellites and could’ve just used a $500 drone?'”