Kaechon Explained

Kaech'ŏn
Native Name Lang:ko
Other Name:Kaechon
Settlement Type:Municipal City
Translit Lang1 Type:Chosŏn'gŭl
Translit Lang1 Info:개천시
Translit Lang1:Korean
Translit Lang1 Type1:Hancha
Translit Lang1 Info2:Kaech'ŏn-si
Translit Lang1 Info3:Gaecheon-si
Pushpin Map:North Korea
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within North Korea
Coordinates:39.6986°N 125.9061°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:North Korea
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:South P'yŏngan
Area Total Km2:738
Population As Of:2008
Population Total:319,554
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Blank1 Title:Dialect
Population Blank1:P'yŏngan
Parts Type:Administrative divisions
Parts:26 tong, 11 ri
Timezone:Pyongyang Time
Utc Offset:+9

Kaech'ŏn or Kaechon ([1] pronounced as /ko/; Hangul: Korean: 개천시, Hanja: Korean: 价川市) is a city in South P'yŏngan province, North Korea.

Geography

The Myohyangsan, Changansan, Ch'ŏnsŏngsan, and Ch'ŏngryongsan mountain ranges come together in Kaech'ŏn. The highest peak is Paekt'apsan. The most important rivers are the Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River and the Taedong River. The area of the city is 61% forested.

Administrative divisions

Kaech'ŏn-si is divided into 26 tong (neighbourhoods) and 11 ri (villages):

  • Ar'il-dong (알일동)
  • Chajak-tong (자작동)
  • Chŏnjin-dong (전진동)
  • Choyang-dong (조양동)
  • Ch'ŏlligil-dong (천리길동)
  • Inhŭng-dong (인흥동)
  • Kag'am-dong (각암동)
  • Kangch'ŏl-dong (강철동)
  • Kŏnji-dong (건지동)
  • Kun'u-dong (군우동)
  • Kwangbok-tong (광복동)
  • Mukpang-dong (묵방동)
  • Namch'ŏn-dong (남천동)
  • Pongch'ŏn-dong (봉천동)
  • Pug'wŏn-dong (북원동)
  • Ramjŏn-dong (람전동)
  • Ryongam-dong (룡암동)
  • Ryongdae-dong (룡대동)
  • Ryongjin-dong (룡진동)
  • Ryongwŏn-dong (룡원동)
  • Sambong-dong (삼봉동)
  • Samp'o-dong (삼포동)
  • Sinsŏng-dong (신성동)
  • Sŏnam-dong (서남동)
  • Sŭngch'ang-dong (승창동)
  • Yaksu-dong (약수동)
  • Chunhyŏng-ri (준혁리)
  • Ch'ŏngryong-ri (청룡리)
  • Kuŭp-ri (구읍리)
  • Kwangdo-ri (광도리)
  • Oedong-ri (외동리)
  • Oesŏ-ri (외서리)
  • Pobu-ri (보부리)
  • Ryongul-li (룡운리)
  • Taegang-ri (대각리)
  • Tohwa-ri (도화리)
  • Tongrim-ri (동림리)

Economy

Water resources are abundant, and several reservoirs are located in Kaech'ŏn.

Agriculture has been extensively developed, including livestock and fruit orchards. Machining and metalworking are the dominant industries, mining has also become more prominent.

Transportation

Kaech'ŏn is served by the Korean State Railway's Kaech'ŏn Line and the Manp'o Line trunk lines, as well as the Choyang Colliery Line and Chunhyŏk Line secondary lines.

Tourism

Tourist sites in Kaech'ŏn include Songam Cavern, Taeripsa Temple with its 9-level stone pagoda, the fortresses of Changhamsŏng, T'osŏng, and Kosasansŏng, Namsa dolmen, and the group of dolments at Mukpangsan. There are also Yŏnpung Lake, which was constructed in 1956, and Yongwŏn Cavern, which was discovered in 1966 and is preserved as North Korea's Natural Monument No. 43.

The Kaechon Revolutionary Site is associated with Kim Il Sung's 250 Mile Journey for National Liberation. A statue was erected there on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, April 15, in 2001.[2]

Prison camps

There are two large prison camps in Kaech'ŏn, both known for very harsh conditions:

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. 7 September 2019.
  2. News: https://web.archive.org/web/20141012062514/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2007/200707/news07/09.htm . Statues of Kim Il Sung Erected in Different Places . 8 July 2007 . 12 October 2014 . KCNA .
  3. Web site: Born and raised in a North Korean gulag . Choe Sang-hun . Choe Sang-hun . July 9, 2007 . International Herald Tribune.
  4. Web site: United States Senate Hearings: Testimony of Ms. Soon Ok Lee, June 21, 2002. July 2, 2010. November 9, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101109021741/http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=292&wit_id=665. dead.