Legal Niches

South Korea's C.I.A. Offers Spot the Spy Game

By gamepolitics

Rather surprisingly, South Korea's intelligence service is operating an online game designed to raise public awareness of infiltrators from the North.

The AFP reports that the National Intelligence Service will run the game through July 21st. The timing concides with the 59th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. A variety of prizes are being offered, including laptops, camers and video game consoles. From the AFP:

The first stage invites users to identify suspicious characters in a crowded park. One figure is shown holding a placard reading "Love Kim Il-Sung," the North's founding president who died in 1994.

The game urges players to look out for people who leave Internet cafes quickly after posting "impure" articles, or protesters who spread groundless rumours or incite violence at anti-US and anti-government rallies.

Other suspects include those who photograph sensitive military and industrial facilities, people who cover their mouth with their hand when they talk, and those who bring sticks to street demonstrations.

The game, however, has provoked ridicule among some Korean bloggers:

I never met a spy before as far as I know, but I don't think they will be waving 'I love Kim Il-Sung' signs or carrying walkie-talkies and pro-North Korean documents and books in public parks.

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on June 29, 2009 (boomark / email).