While researching a photo entry about North Korea's recent threats of war, I discovered an image released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that appears to have been digitally manipulated -- at least two, possibly three hovercraft appear to have been pasted into the scene of a military exercise, reportedly taking place on North Korea's east coast on March 25, 2013. Two hovercraft crashing through the surf, nearest to the photographer, appear to be just a single hovercraft, with a digital twin copied and pasted nearby. Two of the more distant craft appear to be digital twins as well. A third vehicle in the scene has some of the hallmarks of digital pasting, including color mismatch, a slight halo, and soft edges. We contacted AFP, which distributed this image from KCNA, and they have since removed the image due to evidence of tampering.
Is This North Korean Hovercraft-Landing Photo Faked?
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Read moreA picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 26, 2013 appears to show evidence of digital manipulation, specifically the cloning of at least two hovercraft, to make it appear as if more vehicles were involved in a recent military exercise. The original caption: This picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 26, 2013 and taken on March 25, 2013 shows the landing and anti-landing drills of KPA Large Combined Units 324 and 287 and KPA Navy Combined Unit 597 at an undisclosed location on North Korea's east coast. #
KCNA Via KNS/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreThe hovercraft depicted inside the boxes in this image released by KCNA appear to be digital clones of each other, most evident in the blue boxes, where the leftmost hovercraft has apparently been copied, pasted and touched up to become a separate hovercraft at right. The leftmost vehicle, circled, does not appear to be a clone of any other craft in this photo, but its soft edges, lack of a visible wake, and color oddities make the image suspect. #
Click here to view image at original size, 2600x1726/KCNA Via KNS/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreA three-step animation sequence, showing how the image of the hovercraft at left appeared to be manipulated digitally. 1) The section is selected, and copied. 2) The selection is moved toward the new placement. 3) Once placed, the image is sized up to simulate perspective shift, then the hard edges are softly erased, so it will blend in. #
KCNA Via KNS/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreA fullsize crop of the odd-looking leftmost vehicle. #
KCNA Via KNS/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreA second photo released by KCNA reportedly at the same location, on the same day. No manipulation is apparent, this image is just for reference, as it's the only other photograph I could locate that was taken at the same time. Original caption: This picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 26, 2013 and taken on March 25, 2013 shows the landing and anti-landing drills of KPA Large Combined Units 324 and 287 and KPA Navy Combined Unit 597 at an undisclosed location on North Korea's east coast. #
KCNA Via KNS/AFP/Getty Images
