New Airbase Near Panghyon

December 28, 2014 Add Comment
UPDATE: According to Joseph S. Bermudez, Jr., the sites is actually a military vehicle training facility.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

While I was continuing my mapping project, I found quite a surprise. Six miles (9.7 km) north of Panghyon Airport, near the town of Kusong in North Pyongan Province, is a brand spanking new air facility.

Here's the exact coordinates: 40°00'42.0"N 125°13'09.0"E (link opens Google Maps)

(Click for larger view.)

It has a little over 3,000 ft (914 m) of runway space and features two helipads. At the moment, it also has six bunkers (one of which is a large rectangular structure in the center of the runway) and the image suggests there will be two more.

Imagery dated May 27, 2014 shows that this airbase was created by Oct. 21 and was likely done as a military "speed" campaign.

(Click for larger view.)

Here's another view of the facility.

(Click for larger view.)

(Click for larger view.)

As the above wide-view satellite image shows, this new facility is surrounded by military units ("people" icons), artillery positions (red "A" icons), as well as other military locations and factories (hexagon icons).

According to the Federation of American Scientists, the region around Kusong is a "significant military industrial area" with multiple munitions plants. Some of North Korea's uranium mines also lie near the city and the facilities around Kusong played a role in the development of North Korea's nuclear program. Taechon Northwest Airfield also lies 8 miles (12.9 km) to the east.

Here are some additional close-up images.

(Click for larger view.)

(Click for larger view.)

I also want to note that this new airfield lies less than 20 miles (31.5 km) from the abandoned Taechon 200 MWe Magnox Nuclear Reactor and 33 miles (53 km) from the Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center.
Rekrutmen Guru di FInlandia

Rekrutmen Guru di FInlandia

December 22, 2014 Add Comment

Rekrutmen Guru di Finlandia - Profesi Guru sangat dihormati di Finlandia, bahkan melebihi pengacara dan dokter sekalipun. Tidak sama dengan di negara kita, profesi Guru kadang hanya dipandang sebelah mata. Apalagi untuk Guru bukan PNS. Untuk itu di Finlandia untuk menjadi Guru bukanlah pekerkara mudah. Tidak semua orang bisa direkrut untuk menjadi Guru. Standar kualitas Guru yang tinggi sangat
Resep Kue Linzer Cookies

Resep Kue Linzer Cookies

December 14, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Kue Linzer Cookies Renyah.Kue ini unik, bisa dijadikan kue untuk lebaran bagaimana cara membuat cookies ini dan gimana bentuk cake ini?, cek saja disini, resep masakan nya.

Kue kering Linzer Cookies ini bisa berbentuk apa saja, apakah itu bentuk donat, hati atau apapun, asal bolong ditengahnya untuk menempatkan selai. Ciri khas dari kue ini adalah sangat rapuh. Ia akan cepat buyar begitu
Resep Capcay Kuah Spesial Enak Sederhana

Resep Capcay Kuah Spesial Enak Sederhana

December 10, 2014 Add Comment


Resep Capcay Kuah Spesial cap cai Enak Sederhana karena ada sayur. di goreng boleh !!!, tapi RESEP4 kali ini cara membuat Chinese food capcay yng di kasih kuah, bahan-bahan sesuaikan selera anda / pembaca ada bakso / seafood jebrusin saja. memang enak (cap cai) capcay ber-kuah seperti ini pada pengen tahu gak resep masakan nya ? dan ini rahasia dr RESEP4, mem-persebahkan memasak Capcay Kuah yng
Resep Kue Sarang Semut Karamel

Resep Kue Sarang Semut Karamel

December 10, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Kue Sarang Semut Karamel cake Bolu enak. Sebuah roti yg sangat unik cara membuat nya, oleh karena itu mempunyai tekstur lembut & juga bolong-bolong, tak heran jika dinamakan sarang semut karena memang menyerupai kandang binatang kecil tersebut.

Kue Sarang Semut sekilas hampir mirip Bika ambon berserat & bolong-bolong (berongga-rongga), namun rasa bolu sarang semut manisnya dari caramel,
Macam-macam status Guru di Indonesia

Macam-macam status Guru di Indonesia

November 28, 2014 Add Comment



Macam-macam status Guru di Indonesia - Bapak Ibu Guru semua, selamat pagi dan selamat beraktifitas, tetap semangat Pak Bu. tahukah Bapak Ibu sekalian bahwasannya di Negara kita ini ternyata banyak jenis dari status Guru. Tidak hanya satu, sejauh ini yang penulis ketahui lebih dari satu jenis ststus Guru di Indonesia.





artikel lain : Artikel Pendidikan Terbaru


Inilah keunikan negara kita
Resep Es Selendang Mayang Khas Betawi

Resep Es Selendang Mayang Khas Betawi

November 28, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Es Selendang Mayang khas Betawi Asli. Minuman penyegar dahaga saat panas hari dengan guyuran gula merah plus es batu yang dingin, warna cantik ping cukup menggairahkan.

Kali ini admin Resep4 akan menyuguhkan resep minuman khas betawi asli yang hampir punah. Es artinya ice, Selendang berarti syal / selendang namun apa hubungannya dengan penamaan minuman ini, gak ada yang tahu, mungkin
Resep Ayam Goreng Bacem Bumbu Enak

Resep Ayam Goreng Bacem Bumbu Enak

November 20, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Ayam Goreng Bacem Bumbu Enak yg praktis. Dr Gambar ni mudah di tebak bahwa teknik cara membuat masakan RESEP4 kali ni berbahan ayam sangat mudah dan familiar ditelinga.

Kalau sebelumnya ada ayam kalasan dan resep ayam goreng bumbu kuning, Nahh kali ini RESEP4 akan bahas ayam goreng bacem. Anda mungkin langsung teringat dgn resep tempe bacem, iyakan??, Yg ini memang gak jauh dr itu, bumbu
Resep Capcay Goreng Enak

Resep Capcay Goreng Enak

November 17, 2014 Add Comment
Resep capcay Goreng Enak cukup Sederhana.Tips spesial RESEP4 cara membuat cap cai digoreng jadi enak, tak ber kuah alias kering nyam nyam.

Kalau ADMIN bayangkan masakan Capcay goreng ini sangat cantik, terdiri dari berbagai macam warna warni sayuran (sepuluh sayur harusnya), sebut saja merah, kuning, hijau dan orange. Bahan-bahan sayur utama tuk masakan capcay enak adalah brokoli, wortel, jamur,
Silabus SMP Kurikulum 2013 Terbaru Prakarya Kelas 7

Silabus SMP Kurikulum 2013 Terbaru Prakarya Kelas 7

November 12, 2014 Add Comment

Silabus SMP Kurikulum 2013 Terbaru Prakarya Kelas 7 - Bagi teman - teman Guru di SMP mungkin saja ada yang belum mempunyai Silabus SMP Prakarya , kali ini Info Guru Terbaru akan berbagi Silabus SMP Kurikulum 2013 Prakarya Kelas 7. 




Silabus SMP Kurikulum 2013 Terbaru Prakarya Kelas 7

Seperti halnya Silabus Terbaru SD Kelas 2 dan 5, untuk silabus SMP juga demikian. Maka dari itu, kita sebagai
Resep Buntil Daun Pepaya Singkong

Resep Buntil Daun Pepaya Singkong

November 07, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Buntil Daun Pepaya Singkong Enak. siapa yang nyiptain makanan buntil yang pertama?, tak ada yg tahu, jika cara membuat masakan buntil, sudah banyak yang tau termasuk RESEP4 Blog Resep Masakan sederhana ini.

Buntil Daun Pepaya kali ini admin ambil sebagai bahan percobaan, Buntil kalau dicari di google kebanyakan mengarah ke makanan khas daerah jawa, namun sudah tersebar kemana-mana sampai

New Road Construction in Kim Jong-un's Korea

November 03, 2014 Add Comment
Construction is currently underway for at least 170 miles of new paved highways (with more extensions planned). This is on top of the completed highway projects since 2005 which has made transportation between North Korea's major cities much more rapid.

Due to the lack of equipment and fuel, most of these roads have been built using manual labor (primarily by college students and soldiers) supplemented with decades old machinery.

(New roads outlined in bold white lines. There are undoubtedly more roads being constructed, the ones marked are just the ones I have found.)

Of the two longest new highways I've found, one runs north to south, connecting the port cities of Wonsan (pop. 335,000) and Hamhung (pop. 770,000). The second runs east to west and will help tie the core of the country to the expanded trade route with China via the New Yalu River Bridge (whenever it's completed).

The Wonsan highway will play a key role in Kim Jong-un's desire to turn the relatively quiet city into an international tourist destination. Wonsan already has a botanical garden, an 8,000 ft long runway, and several palatial vacation communities for North Korea's elite. It's also just a couple hours away (by car) from the famed Diamond Mountain (Mt. Kumgang) region.

(Highway construction progress.)

(Wonsan, park & docks. Click for larger view.)

(Wonsan, sea-side hotels. Click for larger view.)

(Wonsan Botanical Gardens. Click for larger view.)

(Wonsan, elite beach homes. Click for larger view.)

And finally, to the north-west, the New Yalu River Bridge.


Construction began in 2010 with China providing the bulk of financing (roughly $360 million USD) and materials. The causes of the delay in completing and opening the bridge have been North Korea's failure to meet its financial obligations, rising tensions between China and the DPRK, the re-directing of materials provided by China (for the bridge) to other projects around North Korea (projects wholly unrelated to the bridge), and the other usual mismanagement and glacial bureaucratic speed with which North Korea has become synonymous.

Whenever the bridge does open, it has the potential of greatly boosting trade and providing the country's economy with a much-needed infusion. Whether or not the bridge will be allowed to fulfill its expectations is another matter. 


--Jacob Bogle, 11/3/2014
Resep Kue Bugis Ketan Hitam Pulen

Resep Kue Bugis Ketan Hitam Pulen

October 30, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Kue Bugis Ketan Hitam Pulen Enak. Kue lapek bugis / mendut atau apalah itu sama saja disini ada bahan dan cara membuat yang komplit tuk anda praktekan semua.

Aneh memang dengan penamaan kue ini menurut RESEP4, dicari kesana kemari tentang keterangan Kue Bugis, mengapa membawa kata bugis?, apa hubungannya dengan orang-orang Bugis di Sulawesi Selatan. Nah lain lagi Di Jawa, ternyata kue ini
CFP for next year's CCA conference is live, deadline Dec. 12

CFP for next year's CCA conference is live, deadline Dec. 12

October 27, 2014 Add Comment
Cut + paste and abridged from the original, as posted to the CCA mailing list last week:


Call for Papers

Canadian Communication Association (CCA) Annual Conference 2015

June 3, 4, 5 2015.

University of Ottawa,

Ottawa, Ontario


“Capital Ideas” is the theme of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CFHSS) 2015 Congress within which the Canadian Communication
Resep Kue Kering Coklat Chip

Resep Kue Kering Coklat Chip

October 25, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Kue Kering Coklat Chip lebaran terbaru. kiat cara membuat cake crispy tanpa keju tapi boleh tambah kacang dan mete, anda pun bisa membuat aneka rasa spesial.

Yappp betul sekali, Admin Resep4 kali ni memutuskan tuk menulis pembuatan cake Kering, tepat nya Coklat Chip khusus lebaran yg Lembut, renyah, tebal. merupakan Makanan terbaik tuk menemani hari raya maupun santai anda. Admin pribadi
Resep Ayam Panggang Bumbu Rujak Enak

Resep Ayam Panggang Bumbu Rujak Enak

October 19, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Ayam Panggang Bumbu Rujak Enak Khas Jawa Timur. Makanan yang cocok untuk ramai-ramai cara membuat nyapun bisa di bakar / panggang dengan hasil memuaskan.

Selain di goreng unggas ayam sangat enak kalau dipanggang, entahlah selalu berbeda saja berasa dilidah. Ayam panggang sebenarnya lumayan ribet ngerjainnya soalnya melibatkan persiapan yang lumayan banyak, kemudian memproses masakan inipun
Configuring the Child Player: New Article Out, Online First, in Science, Technology & Human Values Journal

Configuring the Child Player: New Article Out, Online First, in Science, Technology & Human Values Journal

October 14, 2014 Add Comment
I am super excited to announce that I have a new article appearing in an upcoming issue of Science, Technology & Human Values journal, entitled "Configuring the Child Player." In the meantime, the article has already been published on the journal's website through the publisher's "Online First" program. Subscription to the journal, publisher or database is required to access the article in full,
Resep Laksa Bogor dengan Ayam

Resep Laksa Bogor dengan Ayam

October 13, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Laksa Bogor dengan Ayam dan oncom. Masakan sedap asli khas spesial bogor ini banyak sekali yang cari cara membuat nya, selain betawi tentunya yg sedap.

Masakan yang satu ini bernama Laksa Bogor, sudah jarang kita temui dimana-mana, punya ciri khas berwarna kuning dengan rasa yang segar juga menyehatkan. ternyata laksa ini bukan cuma indonesia yang punya resep, singapore pun punya, betawi
Resep Sate Maranggi Purwakarta

Resep Sate Maranggi Purwakarta

October 04, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Sate Maranggi Purwakarta dr Daging Sapi. Sering liat sate maranggi jd pengen tau cara membuat masakan ni, RESEP4 coba mengolah & cukup berhasil.

Sate maranggi khas jawa barat ni Admin sering jumpai di kedai pinggiran jalan, masakan khas kota purwakarta ni cukup terkenal di kotanya & sekitarnya. pertanyaan nya apa sih tuh perbedaan degn sate biasa??, ternyata eh ternyata tak lain dan tak
Resep Kambing Kecap Enak Mudah

Resep Kambing Kecap Enak Mudah

September 30, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Kambing Kecap enak mudah bumbu pedas masak cepat. tips cara membuat daging kambing yang di masak dengan bumbu kecap dengan rasa enak sehingga anda bisa nikmati masakan ini bersama keluarga atau teman dekat.

Jika anda bingung punya daging kambing mau diapain, mungkin resep kambing yang satu ini cocok untuk anda karena tidak membutuhkan bumbu yang banyak serta mudah pembuatannya, biasanya
Resep Sayur Asem Jawa

Resep Sayur Asem Jawa

September 29, 2014 Add Comment

Resep Sayur Asem Jawa Mudah namun enak. Siapa yg kagak tahu sayur asam ??, masakan yng satu ni digadang gadang sebagai sayur sejuta ummat, cara membuat nya sangat praktis dech. Dinobatkan makanan paling disukai ni, tak luput saya pun mencatatnya di kumpulan Resep masakan Web ni.

Sayur asem jawa ternyata lumayan terkenal juga, tak kalah dech pokok nya dgn khas sunda / jawa barat & betawi, bagi
Resep Nasi Goreng Kampung

Resep Nasi Goreng Kampung

September 26, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Nasi Goreng Kampung khas Resep4. Pengunjung setia Resep4.blogspot.com coba cek cara membuat nasgor ini, cuma 3 langkah doang lohh hasil spesial enak, sederhana tanpa seafood, begitu polos sebab cikal bakal dr nasi goreng gaya sekarang degn bumbu khas seperti ; bawang merah, kecap manis, bawang putih, juga lada & bahan ; ayam, telur, kerupuk sebagai pelengkap.

Yesssss leluhur nasgor modern
Resep Sop Kambing Betawi Asli Spesial

Resep Sop Kambing Betawi Asli Spesial

September 18, 2014 Add Comment


Resep Sop Kambing Betawi yg Asli Spesial jg enak.rumus cara membuat makanan sop daging kambing khas ala betawi, yess Cukup unik kuliner di indonesia kita ini, setiap daerah punya ciri khas sendiri-sendiri mengenai masakan, termasuk jg sop kambing, RESEP4 melihat resep Sop ini pun banyak ragamnya, belum lagi beda pembuat beda juga rasa, nah lohhh.

Sop Kambing Betawi, pernah coba ?, jikalau
Resep Urap Sayuran Bumbu Kelapa

Resep Urap Sayuran Bumbu Kelapa

September 17, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Urap Sayuran pakai Bumbu Kelapa. Mari kita lihat cara membuat masakan dengan bahan sayuran mentah khas jawa ini, apalagi kalau ditambahkan sambal pedas, Enak banget, itupun bagi yang suka pedas ya, jangan takut, sangat sederhana kok buatnya.

Buah Kelapa selalu hadir di masakan Indonesia, mulai dr santan, air kelapa, minyak kelapa, daging kelapa. Hampir tak ada yang terbuang dari buah ini,
Resep Nugget Ayam Enak

Resep Nugget Ayam Enak

September 10, 2014 Add Comment

Resep Nugget Ayam Enak juga Renyah. Hmhmhmm cara buat atau pembuatan makanan ini supaya semua bisa bikin di rumah sendiri, isi nugget boleh sayur plus keju juga. akan sangat enak pastinya, kalau tahu pengolahan makanan di giling ini, tentu dapat masak tiap hari tuk keluarga dooong, buah hati anda akan senang banget degn Chicken nugget dicampur keju, ehh enak juga nih resep ayam goreng crispy
Resep Saus Pizza Sendiri

Resep Saus Pizza Sendiri

September 08, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Saus Pizza Sendiri seperti milik HUT. Jika anda ingin tahu cara membuat saus tomat yang asam manis pedas untuk pizza dirumah masuk sini saja, dijamin enak.

Jika sebelumnya ada resep pizza mini, sekarang RESEP4 akan membahas saus pizza doang. Jadi bagi anda yang kesulitan bisa mencontek dari sini dan mencoba yang terenak menurut anda sendiri.Saus ini menurut kami sangat simple dan dapat
Resep Agar Agar Santan

Resep Agar Agar Santan

September 07, 2014 Add Comment


Resep Agar Agar Santan pakai Gula merah pasti manis dan juga wangi pandan namun sederhana. Tata cara membuat makanan ini sangat cepat dan anda pasti senang. agar-agar kami tidak biasa alias luar biasa ada berbeda sedikit dgn yg lainnya, dengan sedikit variasi kotak kecil hitam & merah didalamnya, akan menambah cantik, tentu saja mengundang selera bagi yang melihat agar-agar resep4.

Kue Agar
Game Curious? The Hand Eye Society + Toronto Reference Library Has Just the Program for You!

Game Curious? The Hand Eye Society + Toronto Reference Library Has Just the Program for You!

September 07, 2014 Add Comment




Mostly Cut+Paste from the original announcement: This September, the second run of GAME CURIOUS will take place at the Toronto Reference Library, featuring another lively mix of presentation, group discussion, socializing and of course PLAY! 



While the program is open to just about anyone, it is especially aimed at self-described non-gamers or people who want to learn more about the medium
Resep Pesmol Ikan Nila Sederhana

Resep Pesmol Ikan Nila Sederhana

September 04, 2014 Add Comment
Resep Pesmol Ikan Nila Sederhana yg Enak. Ikan apa aja yng dapat dibuat Pesmol??, Yuk kita lihat dulu cara membuat atau ngolahnya, mau mujair, bawal, tongkol, patin, tuna semua bisa bahkan mas pun pasti enak.

Masakan Pesmol ikan adalah Makanan khas sunda, yang sudah barang tentu berbahan utama seekor ikan tapi bisa juga bahan lainnya (ayam dll), Pembuatan pesmol ikan Nila kali ini dari RESEP4
CFP Alert: Society for the History of Children and Youth

CFP Alert: Society for the History of Children and Youth

August 18, 2014 Add Comment
Cut and paste from the Childhood Studies mailing list, the CFP for next year's Society for the History of Children and Youth Conference, which will be held in beautiful Vancouver, BC (in June, no less!). Note that the deadline for paper proposals is September 15, and panel proposals are due October 1.


CFP: Society for the History of Children and Youth SHCY Eighth Biennial Conference*Date*: June
Survey for Kids (& Parents) Who Make Things with Games

Survey for Kids (& Parents) Who Make Things with Games

August 06, 2014 Add Comment




The survey for my Playing at Making project is now live and we need everyone's help in getting the word out and ensuring we receive a sufficient number of responses. I've included the ad above (we also have one aimed directly to kids), and Copy+Pasted the text from our project website below. 

Basically, we're looking to get the survey out to kids aged 12 years and under who create content in
Postdoc Opportunity on Parenting and Childhood in the Digital Era, at the LSE!!

Postdoc Opportunity on Parenting and Childhood in the Digital Era, at the LSE!!

July 08, 2014 Add Comment

For those of you researching children & media/digital culture, and nearing the end of (or have recently completed) a PhD, this postdoc opportunity working with the amazing and prolific Sonia Livingstone sounds like a dream come true. I spent an all-too-brief semester working with Sonia at the LSE during my doctoral training, and can't endorse it or her enough -- it's a fantastic, vibrant place,
CFP Alert: Meaningful Play Conference

CFP Alert: Meaningful Play Conference

July 07, 2014 Add Comment
Cut & Paste from the email announcement for this year's Meaningful Play Conference, with a warning that the deadline for submissions is next week! Also, please note the publication opportunity with Games and Culture journal. Very cool.


Meaningful Play 2014October 16 - 18, 2014East Lansing, MI, USAhttp://meaningfulplay.msu.eduCall for Submissions (Deadline July 14, 2014) 

Whether designed to
Summer Hiatus? Not Quite...

Summer Hiatus? Not Quite...

July 06, 2014 Add Comment
Just a quick update to note that while I haven't had much time to update Gamine Expedition this summer, it's not from a lack of research activity or dearth of interesting kids' digital media-related things going on. My research team and I have actually been hard at work getting as much data collected and as many findings written up as possible before Fall 2014 (when I go on hiatus for real for

North Korea's Beauty & Untouched Wilderness

June 08, 2014 Add Comment
There is no doubt North Korea is unlike any country on earth. Its heavily regulated society and militarized southern border has actually resulted in some of the most pristine wilderness areas in the modern world outside of the vast tropics. Unfortunately, many of these areas are under threat. I'd like to show you some of these amazing, if not always intentional, wilderness areas.

Korean Demilitarized Zone

DMZ outlined in yellow.

Apart from providing relative military stabilization, the DMZ has also created an unintentional nature preserve 155 miles long and 2.5 miles wide. Not only is it nearly impossible to traverse the DMZ because of the high risk of being shot, the zone also has roughly 1 million landmines left over from the Korean War which makes human movement all the more dangerous. This has meant that the 387 square mile region has been left nearly undisturbed for over 60 years, with the exception of two very small villages (one of which is fake and the other, on the southern side, has a population of 218). This has allowed nature to reclaim the area and bounce back not only from three years of devastating war, but also from thousands of years of human settlement and movement. To quote Don Oberdorfer in his book "The Two Koreas", "This pristine nature preserve marks the most dangerous and heavily fortified border in the world."

The DMZ from the ground.

Within the boundaries of the DMZ there are 2,900 plant species, 70 mammal species, 320 types of bird, and over 80 species of fish. Some of the more interesting creatures include the Asiatic black bear, leopards, and lynx. There are also several animal species that only live within the DMZ. The DMZ plays host to countless numbers of birds each year as they migrate throughout eastern Asia and Japan. Approximately 1/3rd of all Red-crowned cranes (their entire wild population is less than 3,000) use the DMZ during migration.

Pair of Red-Crowned Cranes in flight.

There are several organizations which are trying to have the DMZ, or at least parts of it, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Author Alan Weisman has said of the area within the DMZ, "it has inadvertently become one of the most important wildlife conservation sites in the world.” There are, however, several major obstacles in the way of preserving the DMZ, not least of which are the ever-increasing levels of pollutants due to substantial urbanization occurring in areas adjacent to the zone. And, the only way for the full area to be protected is for the North Korean government to cooperate with the South, which offers its own difficulties. Tourism to the zone, over 1.2 million people annually, accounts for 20% of South Korea's foreign visitors. If the zone were to be made into a nature preserve, it would be a boon not only to tourism and the economies of both countries but could help bring the two Korea's back together because of the necessary steps needed to actually accomplish the goal of preserving wildlife within the DMZ.


National Coastal Fence

Dotted along the fence are small "border guard" shacks like this one.

As I've talked about before, most of the country is surrounded by a fence system. Most of the coastal fences were built during the famine, ostensibly to protect the fishing industry, but most likely (according to testimonies) it was done to prevent people from fleeing the country as well as "stealing" fish. This system, which includes the border fences with China, Russia, and South Korea, runs for over a thousand miles, and long segments are actually electrified. The fence doesn't run uninterrupted, there are plenty of breaks to allow fishermen access to the sea (usually requiring them to pass through guarded gates), areas too rugged to need any fence, and places where the fence has either been torn down by locals needing wire or from the simple decay of time and weather.

This draconian system has resulted in vast stretches of undisturbed beaches and pockets of forested land in an otherwise barren environment, as huge portions of the country have been denuded of trees for agriculture and fire wood. The distance between the fence and the sea can range from 50 feet to over a thousand. Depending on the measurements, this thin green line actually adds up to several square miles (4 to 25) of relatively untouched territory. The key in all of this is coastal.

Notice the difference in tree density on either side of the fence.

From the destruction of thousand year old sand dunes, to rare plant species, to animal breeding and feeding grounds, coastal regions the world over are under constant threat. This small strip of land provides a protected zone for wildlife relatively free from those threats.

Untouched Forests


3D satellite imagery of ~100 square miles of forest. Nothing but a few footpaths traverse the area.

North Korea had vast forests until the 1980s, when drastic changes caused a dramatic decline in both the quantity and quality of many forested areas. According to the World Bank, North Korea's forests covered 46% of the country in 2012, down from 53% in 2003 (compared to ~33% forest cover in the US). The amount of forest is due to the mountainous nature of North Korea, which is actually partially to blame for the decline in forests. All land belongs to the government and its use is tightly controlled. Only 22% of the country's land is arable, meaning that the government has undertaken a number of steps to increase agricultural production by cutting down forests to make room for farming. The poorly planned nature of these schemes has led to denuded hillsides surrounding every inhabited area which, in turn, cause devastating flooding and landslides each time a major rain occurs (and that happens often).

Landscape of North Korea.

Despite this, there are still plenty of forests, and unlike regions in Russia, China, and South America, where illegal logging and settlement have wreaked havoc on many the forests there, the tight controls on movement and land use has resulted in some spectacular stretches of forest. Of those, around 9.3% are old growth forest (the US has less than 2%). Unfortunately, the remaining forests are being cut down at an ever increasing rate and their future is in great doubt.


National Parks

Beleive it or not, North Korea has several national parks. The primary parks are: Baekdu-san (Mount Paektu), Ch'ilposan, Lake Bujo, Myohyang-san, Geumgang-san (Kumgangsan), and Guwol-san.

The Mt. Paektu region has the world's highest plant diversity in such a cool and temperate environment. It is also home to a few endangered Siberian tigers (with a global population of under 1,000).

A pair of Siberian Tigers.

Mt. Paektu, or Baekdu, is the highest mountain in North Korea at 9,003 ft (2,744 m). It lies on the border between the DPRK and China and is considered, by both Koreas, to be the legendary ancestral home of the Korean people. The volcanic mountain, with its deep blue crater lake (called "Heaven Lake") and snow-capped sides plays an important role in North Korean propaganda as well as the country's personality cult. The North claims that Kim Il-Sung launched his "victorious" strike against the imperialist invaders from a secret base on the side of the mountain and that his son, Kim Jong-il, was born near the lake (despite actually being born in Russia).  The lake even has its own lake monster, the Lake Tianchi Monster, which was first reported in 1903.

A view of Heaven Lake.

Pilgrimages to Mt. Paektu are very common, with each citizen generally expected to visit the site at least once. China has sought to have the mountain designated as a World Heritage Site, although this attempt has been controversial. Regardless of the ever-complex political scenery, satellite imagery of the mountain and surrounding areas shows that the pristine nature of the site is under severe threat, especially from logging (although North Korea agreed to prevent logging, they have clearly failed to do so) and the increasing levels of development for the North Korean elite's vacationing. Moreover, even the park & border guards - which are supposed to be among the most loyal - are having to poach and kill wildlife in order to survive since they aren't receiving enough supplies from the government.

The image below shows the Mt. Paektu region. The mountain is in the upper left corner, the yellow line is the China/DPRK border. The brown outline, encompassing roughly 250 square miles, outlines forested areas that show very clear signs of logging. The red markers are military sites, the rest show the positions of villas and the primary leadership compound with an entire support village next to it, as well as other locations.

Click for larger view.
Mount Kumgang

Mount Kumgang, or "Diamond Mountain", is a 5,375 foot (1,638 m) high mountain just a few miles from the DMZ. It lies within the 205 square mile "Mount Kumgang National Park" and began as a joint-venture with South Korea to improve relations and tourism. The Park has been heavily subsidized by South Korean companies (as well as the government) but has been closed for several years following the killing of a South Korean tourist by North Korean guards. Currently, only tours operated on the North Korean side are permitted, making the Park effectively out of reach for most western tourists and South Koreans (who made up the bulk of visitors).

Mountain view. Image source Flicker.

Despite the current situation, Mount Kumgang remains one of the most beautiful places in North Korea. Roughly 96 square miles of the Park have been recognized as an "Important Bird Area" by BirdLife International because it supports Red-crowned Cranes. The mountain itself is made up of granite and diorite which has been exposed over the eons. This weathering has created over 10,000 interesting stone formations and countless waterfalls.

The very famous "Nine Pools".

A beautiful scene from one of the lakes. Source Flicker.

The Kuryong Falls are a striking feature. They drop 246 feet to Kuryong Lake, which according to legend, was the home of nine dragons that defended the mountain.

Kuryong Falls.

The Park contains mixed broadleaf and coniferous forests.


The Park abuts the Sea of Japan and contains several lagoons. Of them, Samil Lagoon is by far the most lovely.

View of Samil Lagoon.

While portions of the Kumgang tourist region are under threat from continued development, the heart of the area, namely the mountains, do seem generally free from settlement and deforestation. It is, truly, the Diamond Mountain. 



Image notes: pictures come from Wikimedia Commons or compiled from Google Earth unless otherwise noted.


--Jacob Bogle 6/8/2014
www.JacobBogle.com
Facebook.com/JacobBogle
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Mapping Update #5 - Over 5,500 places and counting!

May 28, 2014 Add Comment
My "real life" has kept me relatively busy over the last few months so I've fallen a bit behind on the goals I set. However, I have marked over 5,500 locations (with over 1,000 military sites) and I am halfway finished with North Pyongan Province. As of today, I have fully mapped over 10,000 square miles and partially mapped a good portion of the rest of North Korea's 46,541 square miles. I've also decided to create a new file (for the whole country) which will mark the nation's extensive irrigation system - which consists of over 6,000 dams, pumping stations and other irrigation structures.

Once I've completed my own primary mapping project (excluding the irrigation file), I'm also going to integrate what I've done with the published works of two others to create a "master file" which should make available the whole of North Korea with no overlaps and very few, if any, holes. As time permits, I will also release additional files that will give you the locations of any other items I find interesting or that deal with national infrastructure (like town signs, rural schools, etc.).

Some of Ryanggang's place marks. Click for larger view. 

In 2013, vast amounts of Ryanggang Province were covered by low resolution satellite imagery, however, much of that has now been updated to high res. This means that there's a lot of the Province I need to go over (once again) and map, since objects in the low res. areas were nearly impossible to interpret. The Province has a low population density so I'm hoping I can finish it and release the updated KMZ file for it relatively soon.

Until then, my next blog post will be about the incredible untouched wilderness areas of North Korea. So be sure to stay tuned!


--Jacob Bogle, 5/28/2014
www.JacobBogle.com
Facebook.com/JacobBogle
Twitter.com/JacobBogle
New Resource Alert: "Tweening the Girl" - new book by Natalie Coulter

New Resource Alert: "Tweening the Girl" - new book by Natalie Coulter

May 07, 2014 Add Comment





Peter Lang's (publishing house) "Mediating Youth" series is filled with valuable gems, including a number of books that focus specifically on girls, media, technology and culture. Today I found out about a new addition to the series that I'm really looking forward to reading - Tweening the Girl:  The Crystallization of the Tween Market, written by Canadian children's studies guru Natalie
Job Opportunity Alert - Work-Study Position in Web Content Management for the Kids DIY Media Project

Job Opportunity Alert - Work-Study Position in Web Content Management for the Kids DIY Media Project

April 22, 2014 Add Comment

Work-study position: Content Management Assistant

Professor Sara Grimes, Faculty of Information (that's me!!), has one work-study position available for a qualified University of Toronto student. If you are an undergraduate taking at least 1.0 credit (40% of a full course load) continuously from May and August (e.g. one 0.5 F course between May-June and one 0.5 S course between July-August, or
Coming up: TIFF Kids Industry Conference (at the TIFF Kids Film Festival)

Coming up: TIFF Kids Industry Conference (at the TIFF Kids Film Festival)

April 03, 2014 Add Comment





As part of the Kids DIY Media project's partnership with TIFF Kids, we're participating in several exciting events this month, as part of this year's TIFF Kids Film Festival.

For starters, we're exhibiting a table at this year's digiPlaySpace, within the Mini Maker Space. Very exciting stuff. We had the opportunity to go and visit digiPlaySpace last week, and were uber impressed with this
Job Opportunity Alert! Postdoc position with DML Research Hub

Job Opportunity Alert! Postdoc position with DML Research Hub

March 12, 2014 Add Comment
This announcement just came through on the dmlhub mailing list, and they've already started accepting applications! Cut and paste directly from the original - direct any questions to them, not me!


Postdoc opportunity at DML Hub's Connected Learning Research Network 

Here's the recruitment page: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF02242Please distribute the opening to your networks! If you are