One of the main problems of research on underdeveloped and developing countries is the lack of data to identify the development status or patterns of the countries. It is typically difficult to diagnose national development levels, economic growth, poverty, and human health conditions. Nighttime light is an indispensable source for identifying nighttime human and economic activities. The amount of night light can thus be used to diagnose regional development patterns, especially for underdeveloped countries that have limited data. This study presents a methodology to examine the development status and patterns in North Korea from 1992 to 2012 using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program-Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) nighttime light data. DMSP-OLS has the advantage of being able to measure nighttime light intensity in an objective and systematic way because the satellite system collects the data with the same spatial resolution, filming methodology, and time zones over a long period of time. Our results show that more than 99% of North Korea’s areas are extremely poor, and spatial inequality is also a serious issue. However, we found growing patterns of development in Pyong Yang, Shiniju, and Gaesung. We also identify other regional and urban development patterns that are difficult to detect using conventional data sources. The results of this study provide a basic understanding of North Korea’s development and presents an effective way to monitor development patterns in North Korea.
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