North and South Korea united in augmented reality app

The World

Story by PRI’s The World. Listen to audio above for full report.

The Augmented Reality Korean Unification Project begins this month. The creator of the project, New York-based artist Mark Skwarek, describes the finished project as, “a looking glass.” It allows users to view an alternate reality, without a border between North and South Korea.

The app removes the guards, barriers and weapons currently occupying the Demilitarized Zone, and replaces them with 3D foliage.

Skwarek’s goal is to allow the Korean people to look at the divide, as if the conflict was no longer taking place. “We’re not actually healing the border… [we are] keeping the fire alive, keeping the hope alive, that something like this could happen soon,” he said.

The app works on Apple and Android mobile devices.

View a demonstration of the app:

——————————————————————————-

PRI’s “The World” is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. “The World” is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston. More about The World.

Invest in independent global news

The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!