Looks like North Korea has blacklisted photo-sharing social network Instagram and is denying access to it from devices in the country.
When users open the app from mobile phones on the North Korean carrier Koryolink, a warning in both English and Korean appears, The Associated Press reported on Monday. “Warning! You can’t connect to this website because it’s in blacklist site [sic],” says the English version. The Korean warning also says that the site contains harmful content.
Similar warnings also appear when accessing Instagram on computers using LAN cables on the North Korean Internet provider. Instagram still worked on some mobile phones, but not all.
The origin of the warning is still unclear. Koryolink customer support employees told The Associated Press that they weren’t aware of any policy changes regarding Instagram and there has been no notice from the government regarding the service. The block could be related to a June 11 fire at a Pyongyang hotel, often used by tourists and foreign visitors, that North Korea’s state-run media has yet to officially report on, despite photos of it leaking on the Internet.
While North Korea is still not allowing its citizens to access the Internet, with a few exceptions, it did decide in 2013 to allow foreign visitors to access 3G Internet through their mobile phones, which requires a local SIM card from Koryolink.
Other social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are still working fine.
These Are the Interior Department's Most Popular Instagram Photos of 2014
Our public lands give some of the most spectacular views, like this one of Grand Teton National Park in WyomingChristina Adele Warburg—
sharetheexperience.orgAmerica's first national monument, Devils Tower is a geologic feature that protrudes out of the rolling prairie in Wyoming. David Lane (@drlane56) captured this amazing 16-image panorama of the monument illuminated by the Milky Way and green airglow. Of visiting Devils Tower, David says: "From ancient stories of the Pleiades taking refuge at the top to the generations of Native Americas that held it sacred, it had a deep sense of age and a stoic nature that impressed me. It's so unexpected, so large in person, so steeped in traditions." Courtesy David LaneThis bear is in Lake Clark National Park, a land of stunning beauty where volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage, craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes, and local people and culture still depend on the land and water of their home. Solitude is found around every bend in the river and shoulder of a mountain. Venture into the park to become part of the wilderness.Kevin Dietrich——
sharetheexperience.orgA gorgeous photo of the changing fall colors in Zion National Park (Utah). Kevin Roland captured this shot at one of the park's most popular areas -- the Narrows, a gorge with wall a thousand feet tall.Kevin Roland——
sharetheexperience.orgOn October 8, 1964, this Colorado River lake area on the border of Nevada and Arizona became the first national recreation area in the U.S. With its gorgeous contrasts of desert and water, mountains and canyons, Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers year-round recreational opportunities. Cheryl Hobbs——
sharetheexperience.orgWinter has arrived at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and it is gorgeous! Christina Adele Warburg@christinaadelephoto took this photo last weekend at Mormon Row. Photographers from around the world visit this area of the park to capture the iconic barn with the Teton Range in the background. Courtesy Christina Adele WarburgAn amazing sunrise at Canyonlands National Park in Utah. This photo was captured by Ryan Engstrom on the Mesa Arch Trail -- a popular place to capture the sunrise over the park’s countless canyons and fantastically formed buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Ryan Engstrom—
sharetheexperience.orgThe morning commute is a little different at Yellowstone National Park. Cameron Patrick captured this photo on a cold morning -- just after the bison herd had waded through a river along the side the road. The bisons' body heat caused the water to turn to steam in the cold air, creating mist around the bison.Courtesy Cameron Patrick"If it isn't God's backyard, then he certainly lives nearby." - Robin Williams on Glacier National Park. Kim Hang Dessoliers—
sharetheexperience.orgThe Milky Way over Arches National Park in Utah.Jacob W. Frank
