[Choson Exchange Facebook]
Pokémon Go, a phenomenal mobile game, was not available in North Korea, one of the world's most secluded countries, because players cannot find a GPS signal, according to a Singapore-based private group.
Choson Exchange, a Singapore-registered non-profit organization focusing on economic policy, business and legal training for young North Koreans, claimed to have tried playing the augmented reality (AR) video game in the totalitarian communist country, without saying when and where its test was done.
The group said on its Facebook page that its delegates could not detect a GPS signal. "We definitely had to try catching some rare Pokemon in #NorthKorea with Pokemon GO, the latest augmented reality game. Sadly it did not work this time. We'll keep trying! #GottaCatchyEmAll," wrote an unnamed Facebook page operator.
The video game using Google's mapping service recreates Pokémon's underlying story of players scouring the world in search of "pocket monsters" to train and battle with each other. App users are encouraged to wander their own surroundings and unlock new Pokémon characters using location tracking on their smartphones.
"I tried to log on to Pokemon Go in PY (Pyongyang) a couple of days ago too, Also no joy," Simon Cockerell said in a post on the Choson Exchange's Facebook page.
Google provides almost unrestricted map services worldwide, covering sensitive features even in North Korea which has maintained tight restrictions on mobile phone communications with the outside world.
There are about three million mobile phones in the reclusive country. But South Korean intelligence officials say Pyongyang has used surveillance devices to jam signals in sensitive places. Internet access and international calls are restricted to foreign visitors and a select elite.
Aju New Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
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