FACT CHECK: A Bridge From South Korea Viral as ‘Jammu National Highway’

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:

1. 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).

1. 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.

1. 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.