North Hamgyong Province Explained

North Hamgyong Province
Native Name Lang:ko
Settlement Type:Province
Translit Lang1:Korean
Translit Lang1 Type:Chosŏn'gŭl
Translit Lang1 Info:Korean: 함경북도
Translit Lang1 Type1:Hancha
Translit Lang1 Info1:Korean: {{linktext|咸|鏡|北|道|
Translit Lang1 Type2:McCune-Reischauer
Translit Lang1 Info2:Hamgyŏngbuk-to
Translit Lang1 Type3:Revised Romanization
Translit Lang1 Info3:Hamgyeongbuk-do
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:North Korea
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kwanbuk
Seat Type:Capital
Seat:Chongjin
Parts Type:Subdivisions
Parts:3 cities; 12 counties
Leader Party:WPK
Leader Title:Party Committee Chairman
Leader Name:Ri Hi-yong[1]
Leader Title2:People's Committee Chairman
Leader Name2:Ri Sang-kwan
Area Total Km2:20,345
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:2,327,362
Population As Of:2008
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:Pyongyang Time
Utc Offset:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Dialect
Blank Info Sec1:Hamgyong, Yukjin

North Hamgyong Province (Hamgyŏngbukdo, pronounced as /ko/) is the northernmost province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Hamgyong Province.

Geography

The province is bordered by China (Jilin) to the north, South Hamgyong to the southwest and Ryanggang to the west. To the east is the Sea of Japan. The province is home to the Musudan-ri rocket launching site and the Hoeryong concentration camp. In 2004, Rason was reabsorbed back into the province and since 2010, Rason is again a Directly Governed City.

Economy

In critical studies of North Korea, North Hamgyong has a reputation as a neglected and underdeveloped region even by the country's standards. It was where the 1990s famine hit hardest, and food shortages persist even in the 2020s.[3] The majority of North Korean defectors who live in South Korea came from the province after crossing the relatively shallow Tumen River into China. Therefore, the conditions of the province, which analyst Fyodor Tertitskiy has described as "not only a very grim, but also a very boring place," tend to be projected onto the whole country, even though they are not representative.[4]

Administrative divisions

North Hamgyong is divided into three cities (si) and 12 counties (kun).[5] These are further divided into villages (ri) in rural areas and dong (neighborhoods) in cities. Some cities are also divided into wards known as "kuyŏk", which are administered just below the city level.

Cities

Counties

In popular culture

See also

References

41.903°N 129.408°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership . Seoul. Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification . January 2018. 17 October 2018.
  2. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/wphc/North_Korea/Final%20national%20census%20report.pdf
  3. https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-hamgyong-province-convenes-meeting-to-address-food-shortages/ "North Hamgyong Province convenes meeting to address food shortages"
  4. Web site: The flaws and biases in North Korean studies. Fyodor. Tertitskiy. NK News. 8 July 2016. 27 July 2016.
  5. Web site: 북한지역정보넷 .
  6. Web site: Park. Hanna. October 14, 2021. Jung Ho-yeon of 'Squid Game' on dark twists in series, light mood on set. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20211014234247/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/jung-ho-yeon-squid-game-sae-byeok-rcna2919. October 14, 2021. October 15, 2021. NBC News. en.