Unusual footage from inside North Korea has reemerged, offering a rare glimpse into the reclusive state's daily life. The films and pictures were taken by a drone that was flown from China, and they were first posted on Reddit in April 2024 by a member going by the handle XiaoHao2. Launched during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, the drone photographed Sinuiju, a border city in northwest China, by crossing the Yalu River into North Korean sky. Sinuiju, which is across from Dandong in China, seems to be a sleepy city in the video; viewers frequently refer to it as a "ghost town."
Some drone footage of NK byu/XiaoHao2 innorthkorea
The footage, posted under the title, “Drone pics of North Korea, I was in China, my drone flew across the border,” quickly gained traction, amassing over 14,000 upvotes within three days. The user clarified that the photos and video clips were taken with a DJI drone, which is made in China. Twelve images and three videos showed off the major boulevard close to Sinuiju Chongnyon Station, as well as streets and buildings, including what looked to be a university. A number of photos show people in North Korea staring up at the drone, some of them seeming surprised by the strange object in the sky.
Drone Footage showing the North Korean city of Sinuiju, which is very close to China and only separated by the Yalu River.The images were reportedly taken back in 2020, but the author dared to publish them only now. pic.twitter.com/pH4KXl5j2S
— schuld (@schuld_eth) October 12, 2024
Internet reactions to the footage ranged from intrigue to concern. Many users commented on the empty streets, observing the lack of traffic and pedestrian activity. One viewer remarked, “Those are some dead streets. Not a lot of traffic there,” while another humorously added, “Guy singlehandedly invaded N. Korea.” Others, however, questioned the drone pilot's safety in light of North Korea's tight security and China's stringent laws. "I imagine the Chinese authorities wouldn’t be happy about someone flying a drone from their territory over NK," a user said.
The Reddit user reassured users that they were unaffected by the drone fly, saying, "I am still alive and free," in spite of these worries. They verified that the drone was neither captured or seized by Chinese or North Korean officials.
The tape, which reappeared in April 2024, originally showed life in North Korea during the 2020 shutdown and provided a rare glimpse into Sinuiju at a momentous occasion.