North Korean road photos
85 views
Skip to first unread message
humehwy31
Feb 4, 2012, 9:20:01 AM2/4/12
to Aussie Highways
Someone pointed me to this Flickr album tonight. It appears to be a
set of photos, mostly of North Korea (but with some South Korean and
Chinese photos too), taken by most likely a German-speaking diplomat
stationed in Pyongyang, the nation's capital. I say a "diplomat"
because there are plenty of photos of the the diplomatic areas which
are strictly off-limits, and only a person covered by diplomatic
immunity would have the freedom to travel around North Korea like this
and take photos as he sees fit, even of stuff which is quite
unflattering to the government.
Not all of the photos are of roadgeek stuff. Far from it. But many are
- either as incidental subjects in the background, or as the main
subject taken on purpose. Plenty of shots of trams and trolleybuses
and bridges too. It's obviously the work of a man who cares deeply
about transport geek stuff.
You can see the album here ... it might take a bit of sifting through
2,768 photos to get to the good stuff, but it's there:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/
Things I like about North Korean road signs: As in Europe, they sign
the local government area or urban area you are LEAVING (as indicated
by two diagonal red lines) as well as the one you're entering. There's
also a photo featuring one of Pyongyang's famously wide boulevards
that require a packsaddle mule carrying ten gallons of water and two
day's rations to cross by foot - and each of the lanes are given their
own speed limit (speed limit increasing as you go to the centre of the
road).
Things I don't like about North Korean roads and signage: Everything
else. It's truly crap. Better than I expected though.
Actually, I am surprised that the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea actually have directional road signage. I thought that, being so
paranoid about a US-led invasion, that they would be like England and
Australia during WW2 and destroy all of their road signs to confound
the enemy.
--Brad
set of photos, mostly of North Korea (but with some South Korean and
Chinese photos too), taken by most likely a German-speaking diplomat
stationed in Pyongyang, the nation's capital. I say a "diplomat"
because there are plenty of photos of the the diplomatic areas which
are strictly off-limits, and only a person covered by diplomatic
immunity would have the freedom to travel around North Korea like this
and take photos as he sees fit, even of stuff which is quite
unflattering to the government.
Not all of the photos are of roadgeek stuff. Far from it. But many are
- either as incidental subjects in the background, or as the main
subject taken on purpose. Plenty of shots of trams and trolleybuses
and bridges too. It's obviously the work of a man who cares deeply
about transport geek stuff.
You can see the album here ... it might take a bit of sifting through
2,768 photos to get to the good stuff, but it's there:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/
Things I like about North Korean road signs: As in Europe, they sign
the local government area or urban area you are LEAVING (as indicated
by two diagonal red lines) as well as the one you're entering. There's
also a photo featuring one of Pyongyang's famously wide boulevards
that require a packsaddle mule carrying ten gallons of water and two
day's rations to cross by foot - and each of the lanes are given their
own speed limit (speed limit increasing as you go to the centre of the
road).
Things I don't like about North Korean roads and signage: Everything
else. It's truly crap. Better than I expected though.
Actually, I am surprised that the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea actually have directional road signage. I thought that, being so
paranoid about a US-led invasion, that they would be like England and
Australia during WW2 and destroy all of their road signs to confound
the enemy.
--Brad
Sam Laybutt
Feb 4, 2012, 9:25:50 AM2/4/12
to aussie highways
I've seen this guys Flickr before and I very very highly recommend it!
Not so much for roadgeekery but just the general curiosity of what its like in this particular part of the world.
Not so much for roadgeekery but just the general curiosity of what its like in this particular part of the world.
> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 06:20:01 -0800
> Subject: [Aussie Highways] North Korean road photos
> From: hume...@yahoo.com
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/
>
> Subject: [Aussie Highways] North Korean road photos
> From: hume...@yahoo.com
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/
>
Paul Rands
Feb 4, 2012, 8:26:07 PM2/4/12
to aussie-...@googlegroups.com
Absolutely awesome find. This is the sort of thing I wanted to see.
So sad to see so many examples of people living lifestyles they shouldn't be.
Was amazed to see the state of the trolley busses, talk about running them into the ground!
Hopefully sooner rather than later NK will become part of the modern world, just like so many other communist countries did a couple of decades ago.
--
--
Paul Rands
paul...@me.comSent from iCloud
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Aussie Highways" group.
To post to this group, send email to aussie-...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to aussie-highwa...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/aussie-highways?hl=en.
Albert Alcoceba
Feb 5, 2012, 6:55:17 AM2/5/12
to aussie-...@googlegroups.com
The first thing that strikes me is how depressed everyone looks - not
a smile to be seen.
a smile to be seen.
--
Kind Regards,
Albert Alcoceba
<><
humehwy31
Feb 6, 2012, 12:13:01 AM2/6/12
to Aussie Highways
Some finds ...
Another thing I like about North Korean roads - cute cartoon
anthropomorphic rabbits displaying road safety messages. This isn't
the only photo, but it's a good example. The directional sign in front
of it says "Pyongyang". The safety message says something like: "Limit
your speed. Look left and right. Beware of bicycles. Beware of
pedestrians.":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3355370801/in/photostream/
A very recent-looking "Oxcarts Prohibited" sign ... can't have
defecating bovines dishonouring the memory of the "Great" Leader,
after all. They even built an oxcart bypass. Interesting that the red
line passes BEHIND the object prohibited on the sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3350486440/in/photostream/
The bases of roadside trees are often painted white as a safety
measure instead of installing guideposts (incidentally, I've seen the
same thing on Romanian Google Street View, so maybe it's a communist
thing):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3347746669/in/photostream/
Railway crossing. There are several level crossing pics in this set;
this is the only one I've seen that has the international standard
crossbuck. Also, every single railway crossing is manually guarded,
complete with a railwayman's hut.:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3339734202/in/photostream/
And another railway crossing, this time with no signs:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3326954581/in/photostream/
An anthropomorphic duck giving directions:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3224221927/in/photostream/
Most directional signage in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
is blue. This specimen, however, is green:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3057885049/in/photostream/
Tourist signage, DPRK style:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2991440550/in/photostream/
Expressway interchange:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2974513592/in/photostream/
"[Entering] Gangso County, [Leaving] Daean County", the thing that
looks like a milestone says "Daean" on the front and "county boundary"
on the side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2966723288/in/photostream/
Street sign in the east coast city of Hamhung, affixed to a wall in
the European style. "Station Street, Eunjing Neighbourhood, 5th
(Section?)":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2483178258/in/photostream/
Diagrammatic sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2411272753/in/photostream/
Traffic lights - not operating ... I've seen operating ones on YouTube
though:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2245319635/in/photostream/
North Korea has more expressways than you think. They typically
radiate out from Pyongyang. There's one (largely single carriageway)
heading to the east coast resort town of Wonsan; there's a 10-lane
behemoth going west to Pyongyang's port city of Nampo, and here's the
most famous of them all, the Reunification Expressway heading south to
Kaesong and the South Korean border. Of course, with North Korea's
chronic fuel shortages and the fact that private car ownership is very
rare, you're wondering why they built all these wide, grade-separated
roads. It couldn't possibly be to facilitate the movement of tanks and
artillery in the event of a war? No, couldn't possibly be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2140347475/in/photostream/
More to come as I slowly get through every photo ...
Another thing I like about North Korean roads - cute cartoon
anthropomorphic rabbits displaying road safety messages. This isn't
the only photo, but it's a good example. The directional sign in front
of it says "Pyongyang". The safety message says something like: "Limit
your speed. Look left and right. Beware of bicycles. Beware of
pedestrians.":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3355370801/in/photostream/
A very recent-looking "Oxcarts Prohibited" sign ... can't have
defecating bovines dishonouring the memory of the "Great" Leader,
after all. They even built an oxcart bypass. Interesting that the red
line passes BEHIND the object prohibited on the sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3350486440/in/photostream/
The bases of roadside trees are often painted white as a safety
measure instead of installing guideposts (incidentally, I've seen the
same thing on Romanian Google Street View, so maybe it's a communist
thing):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3347746669/in/photostream/
Railway crossing. There are several level crossing pics in this set;
this is the only one I've seen that has the international standard
crossbuck. Also, every single railway crossing is manually guarded,
complete with a railwayman's hut.:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3339734202/in/photostream/
And another railway crossing, this time with no signs:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3326954581/in/photostream/
An anthropomorphic duck giving directions:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3224221927/in/photostream/
Most directional signage in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
is blue. This specimen, however, is green:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3057885049/in/photostream/
Tourist signage, DPRK style:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2991440550/in/photostream/
Expressway interchange:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2974513592/in/photostream/
"[Entering] Gangso County, [Leaving] Daean County", the thing that
looks like a milestone says "Daean" on the front and "county boundary"
on the side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2966723288/in/photostream/
Street sign in the east coast city of Hamhung, affixed to a wall in
the European style. "Station Street, Eunjing Neighbourhood, 5th
(Section?)":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2483178258/in/photostream/
Diagrammatic sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2411272753/in/photostream/
Traffic lights - not operating ... I've seen operating ones on YouTube
though:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2245319635/in/photostream/
North Korea has more expressways than you think. They typically
radiate out from Pyongyang. There's one (largely single carriageway)
heading to the east coast resort town of Wonsan; there's a 10-lane
behemoth going west to Pyongyang's port city of Nampo, and here's the
most famous of them all, the Reunification Expressway heading south to
Kaesong and the South Korean border. Of course, with North Korea's
chronic fuel shortages and the fact that private car ownership is very
rare, you're wondering why they built all these wide, grade-separated
roads. It couldn't possibly be to facilitate the movement of tanks and
artillery in the event of a war? No, couldn't possibly be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/2140347475/in/photostream/
More to come as I slowly get through every photo ...
humehwy31
Feb 6, 2012, 7:52:34 AM2/6/12
to Aussie Highways
OK, I've been through the entire collection. I've got the rest of the
links to all the other roadgeeky stuff (except for stuff that's
repetitious ... e.g., there are only so many railway crossings before
you get the general idea of what one looks like) ... I've decided to
put them in these e-mails, to serve as, I guess, a central resource so
everyone online who is interested in North Korean road signs can use
this thread to find links to the photos all in one place.
I think we should also all give a big round of applause for
Kernbeisser the anonymous diplomat who has been so diligent and
committed in getting these photos out to the rest of the world!
This is for Paul Rands:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4202313573/in/photostream
Reminds me a tiny little bit of the Freemans Waterhole exit on the F3
in 1989 ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/1811279138/in/photostream/
Bus stop sign at Taedong Gate in Pyongyang. Route 1 from Pyongyang
Station to Ryeonmot-dong ("dong" meaning "neighbourhood", roughly
equivalent to an Australian "suburb"). The sign might be a little
faded, but it's functionally superior to most bus stop signs in
Australia. It tells you the route, where you are, and the termini. All
that's missing is timetable info and a map:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/426315064/in/photostream/
Not sure what this is, a generic warning sign, similar to the upward-
pointing red triangle formerly used here? It could also be a European-
style "no stopping" sign with the blue paint faded away:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5604075199/in/photostream
In the background, you can see the lane-specific speed limit signs
(70, 60, 40 km/h):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5572956163/in/photostream
Railway crossing, with overhead electric wire warning sign and what
appears to be an advance signal, and a crossbuck on the other side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5542204309/in/photostream
North Korean stop sign. Definitely not international standard:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5522544322/in/photostream
Railway crossing with horizontal swing gates:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5337265099/in/photostream
Working traffic lights!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5335198612/in/photostream
Road construction, North Korean style. Methods straight out of the
1820s. Except I don't think even the builders of Victoria Pass and the
Great North Road used forced female labour. This photo, and the next
few:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5010860905/in/photostream
Bunny Power!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4933893937/in/photostream
"Geumya 20km":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4933736285/in/photostream
Quaint guideposts .. looks very 1930s:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4922799969/in/photostream
More roadworks, this time featuring some major earthworks done all by
hand. This, and the next few photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4501793563/in/photostream
"Under Construction". Say you're a site supervisor. A truck comes and
delivers ten tonnes of aggregate a few days before work starts. Where
do you tell the truck driver to dump the aggregate? Why, in the middle
of the expressway, of course!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4024735791/in/photostream
European-style pedestrian crossing signs:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3992231706/in/photostream
Six-city RD, with the most distant city on top (like many European
countries):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3942998063/in/photostream
The famous Pyongyang traffic ladies, rumoured to have been
manufactured at a top-secret robotics laboratory in the rugged
foothills of Mount Paektu:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3841746727/in/photostream
More roadworks ... this time with safety vests.:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3822150637/in/photostream
These rabbit signs are breeding like, well, rabbits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3696817545/in/photostream
A blue services sign for a restaurant - just like here and elsewhere,
but with an Asian twist:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3524481267/in/photostream
Diagrammatic fork AD sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3451430605/in/photostream
--Brad
links to all the other roadgeeky stuff (except for stuff that's
repetitious ... e.g., there are only so many railway crossings before
you get the general idea of what one looks like) ... I've decided to
put them in these e-mails, to serve as, I guess, a central resource so
everyone online who is interested in North Korean road signs can use
this thread to find links to the photos all in one place.
I think we should also all give a big round of applause for
Kernbeisser the anonymous diplomat who has been so diligent and
committed in getting these photos out to the rest of the world!
This is for Paul Rands:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4202313573/in/photostream
Reminds me a tiny little bit of the Freemans Waterhole exit on the F3
in 1989 ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/1811279138/in/photostream/
Bus stop sign at Taedong Gate in Pyongyang. Route 1 from Pyongyang
Station to Ryeonmot-dong ("dong" meaning "neighbourhood", roughly
equivalent to an Australian "suburb"). The sign might be a little
faded, but it's functionally superior to most bus stop signs in
Australia. It tells you the route, where you are, and the termini. All
that's missing is timetable info and a map:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/426315064/in/photostream/
Not sure what this is, a generic warning sign, similar to the upward-
pointing red triangle formerly used here? It could also be a European-
style "no stopping" sign with the blue paint faded away:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5604075199/in/photostream
In the background, you can see the lane-specific speed limit signs
(70, 60, 40 km/h):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5572956163/in/photostream
Railway crossing, with overhead electric wire warning sign and what
appears to be an advance signal, and a crossbuck on the other side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5542204309/in/photostream
North Korean stop sign. Definitely not international standard:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5522544322/in/photostream
Railway crossing with horizontal swing gates:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5337265099/in/photostream
Working traffic lights!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5335198612/in/photostream
Road construction, North Korean style. Methods straight out of the
1820s. Except I don't think even the builders of Victoria Pass and the
Great North Road used forced female labour. This photo, and the next
few:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/5010860905/in/photostream
Bunny Power!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4933893937/in/photostream
"Geumya 20km":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4933736285/in/photostream
Quaint guideposts .. looks very 1930s:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4922799969/in/photostream
More roadworks, this time featuring some major earthworks done all by
hand. This, and the next few photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4501793563/in/photostream
"Under Construction". Say you're a site supervisor. A truck comes and
delivers ten tonnes of aggregate a few days before work starts. Where
do you tell the truck driver to dump the aggregate? Why, in the middle
of the expressway, of course!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/4024735791/in/photostream
European-style pedestrian crossing signs:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3992231706/in/photostream
Six-city RD, with the most distant city on top (like many European
countries):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3942998063/in/photostream
The famous Pyongyang traffic ladies, rumoured to have been
manufactured at a top-secret robotics laboratory in the rugged
foothills of Mount Paektu:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3841746727/in/photostream
More roadworks ... this time with safety vests.:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3822150637/in/photostream
These rabbit signs are breeding like, well, rabbits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3696817545/in/photostream
A blue services sign for a restaurant - just like here and elsewhere,
but with an Asian twist:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3524481267/in/photostream
Diagrammatic fork AD sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kernbeisser/3451430605/in/photostream
--Brad
Sam Laybutt
Feb 6, 2012, 8:08:26 AM2/6/12
to aussie highways
Thanks Brad for that very interesting selection!
> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 04:52:34 -0800
> Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: North Korean road photos
> From: hume...@yahoo.com
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com
>
> Subject: [Aussie Highways] Re: North Korean road photos
> From: hume...@yahoo.com
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com
>
Michael Greenslade
Feb 6, 2012, 9:03:38 AM2/6/12
to Aussie Highways
Hi Brad,
Incredible find. I have spent a good couple of hours going through
several pages of photos.
What an utterly depressing country North Korea is.
The streetscapes, particularly the cities outside of Pyongyang are
comparable to something from the 1920's with the complete lack of cars
and the use of oxen to cart goods around, people walking around on
roads that should be busy!
The desolate motorway scenes are fascinating. Being in Australia, its
hard to imagine the country not having funds to undergo general
maintenance of roads and buildings. The country is stuck in this weird
timewarp.
Thanks,
Michael
> > a smile to be seen.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Incredible find. I have spent a good couple of hours going through
several pages of photos.
What an utterly depressing country North Korea is.
The streetscapes, particularly the cities outside of Pyongyang are
comparable to something from the 1920's with the complete lack of cars
and the use of oxen to cart goods around, people walking around on
roads that should be busy!
The desolate motorway scenes are fascinating. Being in Australia, its
hard to imagine the country not having funds to undergo general
maintenance of roads and buildings. The country is stuck in this weird
timewarp.
Thanks,
Michael
>
> - Show quoted text -
Paul Rands
Feb 6, 2012, 3:39:26 PM2/6/12
to aussie-...@googlegroups.com
The Volvo in the photo is a 1974 Volvo 144. I used to have the wagon version the 145. These cars are pretty hard to kill, and sadly a lot end up at the wreckers as the design is a bit of an 'acquired' taste
Paul Rands
Feb 6, 2012, 3:41:31 PM2/6/12
to aussie-...@googlegroups.com
I agree, it's like nothing has progressed for many years. The state of everything is run down and crumbling too, I am surprised that there hasn't been an uprising of some kind. Especially given the condition of everything.Dear leader hasn't provided for his people.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages