Claim:
An image of a bridge is being circulated on social media, claiming it to be part of the “Jammu National Highway,” which connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India.
Fact:
The viral image actually shows the Yeongdong Hongseong Bridge located in Gangwon-do, South Korea.
Evidence:
- Reverse Image Search Results:
- The photo has been widely shared over the years, with claims associating it with Nepal, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
- The earliest instance of the photo dates back to August 1, 2007, when it was uploaded on Panoramio, a platform that linked photos to Google Maps (archived in 2016).
- Location Verification:
- The Panoramio user who originally posted the photo identified it as the Yeongdong Hongseong Bridge in South Korea, providing accurate coordinates.
- A comparison of Google Maps’ Street View images and the viral photo confirms the bridge’s exact match.
- Supporting Sources:
- A Korean expressway card features the bridge, identified as the “Yeongdong Hongseong Bridge.”
- A drone video on the official YouTube channel of the Korean company Meritz (responsible for the bridge’s windbreak wall) shows a frame matching the viral image (timestamp: 2:54).
Conclusion:
The viral image does not depict the Jammu National Highway. It is a picture of the Yeongdong Hongseong Bridge in Gangwon-do, South Korea.