Wihwa Island Explained

Wihwa Island
Pushpin Map:North Korea
Location:Yalu River
Coordinates:,
Country:North Korea
Country Admin Divisions Title:County
Country Admin Divisions:Sindo County
Country Admin Divisions Title 2:Province
Country Admin Divisions 2:North P'yŏngan
Ethnic Groups:Koreans

Wihwa Island (Korean: 위화도/威化島, Wihwado,) is a river island in the Yalu river, lying on the border between North Korea and China. It is now under the effective jurisdiction of North Korea, due to ethnic Koreans living on the island at the time of the 1962 border treaty.[1]

Wihwa Island is historically well known for being where General Yi Songgye decided, in 1392, to turn back his army southward to Kaesong in the first of a series of revolts that eventually led to the establishment of the Yi Dynasty.

In June 2011, an agreement with China was made to establish a joint free trade area on Hwanggumpyong and Wihwa Islands, and the China border area near Dandong.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: What Is Hwanggumpyong Island? . Jeong Woo-sang . Digital Chosun . 10 June 2011 . 1 March 2012.
  2. Web site: China’s Embrace of North Korea: The Curious Case of the Hwanggumpyong Island Economic Zone . Robert Kelley . Michael Zagurek . Bradley O. Babson . 38 North . U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies . 19 February 2012 . 1 March 2012.