Kaesong
Kaesong
개성시 | |
---|---|
North Hwanghae and became special city in 2019. |
Kaesong[a] (UK: /keɪˈsɒŋ/, US: /keɪˈsɔːŋ/; Korean: [kɛsʌ̹ŋ]) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close to the border with South Korea and contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. Called Songdo while it was the ancient capital of Goryeo, the city prospered as a trade centre that produced Korean ginseng. Kaesong now functions as North Korea's light industry centre.
During the Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945, the city was known by the Japanese pronunciation of its name, "Kaijō".[2] Between 1945 and 1950, Kaesong was part of South Korea and under its control. During the Korean War, North Korea captured the city, and the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement left the city under North Korean control. Due to the city's proximity to the border with South Korea, Kaesong has hosted cross-border economic exchanges between the two countries as well as the jointly run Kaesong Industrial Region.
As of 2009, the city had a population of 192,578.[3]
History
The earliest archaeological signs of habitation in the Kaesong area date from the Neolithic. Artifacts such as Jeulmun pottery, stone ware, and stone axes have been excavated from Osongsan and Kaesong Nasong, the double-walled fortress of Kaesong. As Kaesong has been occupied by various states throughout centuries, its name has changed. It was in the realm of Mahan confederacy, and was referred to as Busogap during the rule of Goguryeo. Before the strength of Baekje was retreated to the southwest of Jungnyeong, Mungyeong Saejae, and Asan Bay in 475, the area had been a part of Baekje for about 100 years.
However, it became a territory of
Goryeo
Silla began to decline in late 9th century, and a period of rival warlords ensued. In 898, Kaesong fell under the hand of
In the late 12th century, there was instability in both the government and the countryside. A slave named Manjǒk (or Manjeok) (만적; 萬積) led a group of slaves who gathered outside Kaesong in 1198. The revolt plot was suppressed by Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn.[5] When Yi Song-gye overthrew Goryeo in 1392 and established Joseon as Taejo of Joseon, he moved the Korean capital from Kaesong to Hanyang (modern-day Seoul) in 1394.[4]
20th century
Kaesong remained a part of Gyeonggi Province until the Korean War. When Korea was partitioned at the 38th parallel after World War II, Kaesong was on the southern side of the line (within South Korea).
However, the
Ceasefire negotiations began in Kaesong[7] on 10 July 1951, but were moved to Panmunjom, southeast of the city, on 25 October 1951. The Korean Armistice Agreement signed on 27 July 1953 recognised North Korean control over Kaesong making it the only city to change control from South Korea to North Korea as a result of the war. Postwar Kaesong and the part of Kyonggi Province that came to be occupied was organized into "Kaesong Region" (Kaesŏng Chigu; 개성 지구; 開城 地區). In 1957, Kaesong became a "Directly Governed City" (Kaesŏng Chikhalsi; 개성 직할시; 開城 直轄市).
21st century
In 2002, Kaesŏng Industrial Region was formed from part of Kaesong. In 2003, the remaining part of Kaesong (excluding the Industrial Region) became part of North Hwanghae Province. The city is close to the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea.
In October 2019, Kaesong became a "Special City".[8]
Geography
Located in the center of Korea, Kaesong is the southernmost city of North Korea. It is bordered by
In the northern part of Kaesong, the end of the
The Imjin River flows along the northeastern border line of the city and the Ryesong River (禮成江) (Ryeseong-gang; 례성강) (transliterated in South Korea as Yeseong-gang; 예성강) runs along the western border to the mouth of the Han River. In addition to the two rivers, small and large rivers and streams such as the Samich'ŏn, Wŏlamch'ŏn, Chukbaech'ŏn, Kŭmsŏngch'ŏn, and Sach'ŏn rivers drain into the Han. The river basin located in the southwest of Kaesong has spacious alluvial plains such as P'ungdŏkbŏl, Singwangbŏl, and Samsŏngbŏl.[9]
The geology consists of the
Climate
Kaesong has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dwa), with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers with abundant rainfall.
Climate data for Kaesong (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.6 (34.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
10.5 (50.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
26.8 (80.2) |
28.1 (82.6) |
29.3 (84.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
11.3 (52.3) |
3.6 (38.5) |
16.8 (62.2) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.6 (25.5) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
4.6 (40.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
16.7 (62.1) |
21.3 (70.3) |
24.1 (75.4) |
24.9 (76.8) |
20.4 (68.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
5.9 (42.6) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
11.4 (52.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −8.1 (17.4) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
5.6 (42.1) |
11.6 (52.9) |
17.1 (62.8) |
21.1 (70.0) |
21.5 (70.7) |
15.9 (60.6) |
8.3 (46.9) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
6.9 (44.4) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 10.9 (0.43) |
19.4 (0.76) |
24.7 (0.97) |
49.9 (1.96) |
95.2 (3.75) |
105.7 (4.16) |
359.9 (14.17) |
285.2 (11.23) |
109.9 (4.33) |
40.9 (1.61) |
40.8 (1.61) |
18.3 (0.72) |
1,160.8 (45.70) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 3.3 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 6.3 | 7.4 | 8.1 | 12.8 | 11.3 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 4.9 | 79.3 |
Average snowy days | 4.6 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 4.9 | 15.7 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
67.2 | 64.7 | 64.4 | 66.7 | 72.9 | 77.8 | 85.3 | 81.8 | 73.4 | 70.1 | 70.3 | 67.9 | 71.9 |
Source: Korea Meteorological Administration[10] |
Administrative divisions
Before 2002, what is now Kaesong Directly Governed City was divided into one city (Kaesŏng itself) and one county and two wards: Changpung County, Kaepung-guyok and Panmun-guyok. In 2003, P'anmun-gun and part of Kaesong-si were separated from Kaesŏng Directly Governed City and merged to form Kaesong Industrial Region. The remaining part of Kaesŏng joined North Hwanghae Province in 2002. Kaesong is currently divided into 24 administrative districts known as Dong, as well as three villages ("ri").[11] After Kaesong promoted to Special City, Changpung County, Kaepung-guyok and Panmun-guyok return to Kaesong.
- Koryŏ-dong (고려동/高麗洞): Anhwasa temple is located here.[12]
- Haeun-dong (해운동/海雲洞): Named after pavillion called Haeunru.[13]
- Chanam-dong (자남동/子男洞): Named after Mount Chanam.[14]
- Kwanhun-dong (관훈동/冠訓洞): The place was named as such due to the fact that the place had a 'Hunryonwon' (an institution that hired military officials and soldiers during the Joseon dynasty) and Gwaegwanhyon (also called, 'Gatgoljae', a place where Goryeo scholars protested by refusing to take the Gwageo and take off their gat hats).[15]
- Manwŏl-dong (만월동/滿月洞): Named after Manwoldae.[16]
- Naesŏng-dong (내성동/內城洞): Named after Naeseong of Kaesong city walls.[17]
- Nam'an-dong (남안동/南安洞): Named as such because it was comfortably in the southern plains of Namdaemun (Kaesong).[18]
- Nammun-dong (남문동/南門洞): Named after Namdaemun (Kaesong). The Bell of Yonbok Temple is located here.[19]
- Namsan-dong (남산동/南山洞)
- Pangjik-tong (방직동/紡織洞)
- Posŏn-dong (보선동/保善洞)
- Pug'an-dong (북안동/北安洞): Named as such because it was comfortably in the northern plains of Namdaemun (Kaesong). Kaesong Students' and Children's Palace is located here.[20]
- Pusan-dong (부산동/扶山洞)
- Ryonghŭng-dong (룡흥동/龍興洞)
- Ryongsan-dong (룡산동/龍山洞)
- Song'ak-tong (송악동/松嶽洞)
- Sŏngnam-dong (성남동/城南洞)
- Sŏnjuk-tong (선죽동/善竹洞)
- Sŭngjŏn-dong (승전동/勝戰洞)
- Tonghŭng-dong (동흥동/東興洞)
- Tonghyŏn-dong (동현동/銅峴洞)
- Ŭndŏk-tong (은덕동/恩德洞)
- Ŭnhak-tong (운학동/雲鶴洞)
- Yŏkchŏn-dong (역전동/驛前洞)
- Pak'yŏl-li (박연리/朴淵里)
- Samgŏ-ri (삼거리/三巨里)
- Tog'am-ri (덕암리/德岩里)
Culture
Landmarks
Kaesong is home to the World Heritage Site Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong.[21] Koryo Songgyungwan University (Light Industry), Communist University and Art College are located in Kaesong. The Koryo Museum, housed in the city's old Confucian academy, contains many priceless Goryeo arts and cultural relics (although many are copies, with the originals held in the vaults of the Korean Central History Museum in Pyongyang).
As the former capital of Goryeo, the tombs of almost all of the Goryeo kings are located in the area, though most are not accessible; the heavily reconstructed
Cuisine
Since Kaesong was the capital of
Economy
With its
Kaesong is North Korea's
As of 2002, the city contained the headquarters of the Central Bank of North Korea, with branches also in Kapung and Panmun counties.[25]
North Korea and South Korea jointly operate an industrial complex in the Kaesong Industrial Region.[26] The industrial park, built around 2005, employs over 53,400 North Koreans at over 120 South Korean textile and other labor-intensive factories.[27] In early 2013, approximately 887 South Koreans worked in the complex, which produced an estimated $470 million of goods in 2012,[26][27] and the complex employed a sixth of Kaesong's working people.[28]
Amid tensions in 2013, the industrial park was temporarily closed.[7] It was closed again in 2016.
Tourism
Kaesong is a major destination for foreign visitors to North Korea. Many Goryeo-era sites are located in Kaesong, including the
Education
Sungkyunkwan, one kilometer north of Seonjukgyo bridge is a representative traditional educational institution in Kaesong. It was founded in the neighborhood of Gukja-dong with the name Gukjagam (국자감; 國子監) in 992 during the reign of King Seongjong of Goryeo, which ignited Korean Confucianism. Its name was changed to Gukhak (국학; 國學) in the reign of Chungnyeol of Goryeo and was referred to as Seonggyungwan. In 1367, the 16th year of Gongmin of Goryeo's reign, the structure was revamped and Yi Saek, and Jeong Mong-ju, Confucian scholars of the time taught there as professors. In 1592, the 25th year of Seonjo of Joseon's reign, Kim Yuk reconstructed the institution which was burned down by the Japanese during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598).[4]
The first modern school that appeared in Kaesong was
By 1950, there were two public high schools: Kaeseong High School (개성중학교; 開城中學校) and Kaeseong Girls' High School (개성고등여학교; 開城高等女學校) and three private high schools: Songdo High School (송도중학교; 松都中學校), Jeonghwa Girls' School (정화여학교;貞和女學校) and Hosudon Girls' School (호수돈여학교; 好壽敦女學校). Like Songdo High School, Jeonghwa and Hosudon Girls' Schools, with the teachers and most students, evacuated south during the Korean War and their campuses now are located in Seoul and Daejeon respectively.
There were also eight public elementary schools (국민학교) in Kaeseong by 1950, they were the Manwol (만월; 滿月), Donghyun (동현; 銅峴), Seonjuk (선죽; 善竹), Koryo (고려; 高麗), Songdo (송도; 松都), Junggyeong (중경; 中京), Namsan (남산; 南山) and Deokam (덕암; 德岩) elementary schools.
As of 2002, Kaesong had 80 each public elementary schools which scattered in each unit of ri (village), 60 middle-high schools, 3 colleges and 3 universities such as Songdo University of Politics, Kaesong University of Education, and Kaesong Communist University.[29]
Transportation
Kaesong is connected to
There was a plan to build a trolleybus line in this city, but it never came to fruition.[30]
Sister cities
People born in Kaesong
- Uicheon (1055–1191), founder of the Cheontae Buddhist sect
- Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn (1149–1219), a military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo
- Ch'oe U (died 1249), general of the Goryeo, son of Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn
- Hwang Hui (1363–1452), prime minister of Joseon
- Hwang Jin-i (1515–1550), famous Kisaengand poet
- Lee Jong soo (Chong Lee) (1938–2017), Father of Taekwondo in Canada
- K. W. Lee (1928–), Korean-American print journalist
- Won Pyong Oh(1926–2020), South Korean zoologist
- Chin Byung Ho (1909–1972), Dean of Seoul National University Medical School [32]
- Youn Yuh-jung (1947–), South Korean actress and Academy Award winner
- Woo In-hee (died 1981), North Korean actress and a mistress of Kim Jong Il.
Notes
References
Citations
- ^ EB (1878), p. 390.
- ^ Historic Map: Geographic overview Japan & Korea 1945 AD – 1B
- ^ "City population by sex, city and city type". United Nations. 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f 개성시 開城市 (Kaesong) (in Korean). Nate/ Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011.
- ^ Michael J. Seth. A concise history of Korea: from the neolithic period through the nineteenth century. pp. 99–102. Rowman & Littlefield, 2006.
- ^ Voice of Korea. "Bronze statues of great Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il unveiled in Kaesong City" – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b "Kaesŏng | North Korea | Britannica".
- ^ "Bae, sae 'chianchongsu'e gimjeongho…"Gaeseongsi, teugbyeolsilo seung-gyeog"" 北, 새 '치안총수'에 김정호…"개성시, 특별시로 승격". Yonhap News Agency. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ Britannica. Archived from the originalon 10 June 2011.
- ^ "30 years report of Meteorological Observations in North Korea (1991 ~ 2020)" (PDF) (in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. 224, 336, and 345. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ 개성시(開城市) – KAESONGSI. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean).
- ^ "고려동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "해운동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "자남동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "관훈동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "만월동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "내성동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "남안동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "남문동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "북안동개요". cybernk.
- ^ "Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong". UNESCO. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ a b 향토음식 鄕土飮食 [Hyangto eumsik] (in Korean). Nate/Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011.
- ^ 편수 (Pyeonsu) Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean) Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
- ^ 닮은 듯 색다른 매력을 간직한 북한의 음식 문화 (in Korean). Korea Knowledge Portal. 19 June 2009. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011.
- ^ Britannica. Archived from the originalon 10 June 2011.
- ^ a b Choe Sang-Hun (27 March 2013). "North Korea Shuts Last Military Hot Lines to South". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ a b Choe Sang-Hun and Gerry Mullany (30 March 2013). "North Korea Threatens to Close Factory It Runs With South". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ Alastair Gale and Jeyup S. Kwaak (26 April 2013). "Seoul to Pull Workers out of North Korea". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ 개성직할시 교육과 문화 (Education and Culture of Kaesong) Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean) Nate / Britannica
- ^ "Cities that almost had Trolleys". www.sfu.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Ciudades Hermanas" [Sister Cities] (in Spanish). Municipalidad del Cusco. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
- ^ :: 모바일 서울대학교병원 ::. m.snuh.org. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
Sources
- , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. VI (9th ed.), New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878, pp. 390–394.
Further reading
- Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014. ISBN 978-89-6297-167-5
External links
- Gaeseong Industrial District Foundation Foreign Investment Support Center Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- German website about the City of Kaesong
- "North Korea opens hidden city to tourists." BBC News. Friday 7 December 2007.
- City profile of Kaesong Archived 9 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Historical Remains in Kaesong picture album Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine at Naenara
- Another picture album Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine at Naenara
- Kaesong at Curlie