Kaesong (, ) is a special city in the southern part of

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

(formerly in

North Hwanghae Province North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghaebuk-to; , lit. "north Yellow Sea province") is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae. The provincial capital is Sari ...

), and the capital of

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

during the

Taebong Taebong (; ) was a state established by Gung Ye () on the Korean Peninsula in 901 during the Later Three Kingdoms. Name The state's initial name was Goryeo, after the official name of Goguryeo, a previous state in Manchuria and the northern ...

kingdom and subsequent

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...

dynasty. The city is near the

Kaesong Industrial Region The Kaesŏng Industrial Region (KIR) or Kaesŏng Industrial Zone (KIZ) is a special administrative industrial region of North Korea (DPRK). It was formed in 2002 from part of the Kaesŏng Directly-Governed City. On 10 February 2016, it was temp ...

close to the

border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...

with

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

and contains the remains of the

Manwoldae palace Manwoldae (Hangul: 만월대, Hanja: 滿月臺; lit. ''Full Moon Platform''), or Mangwoldae (Hangul: 망월대, Hanja: 望月臺), was the main palace of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. It did not have an official name, such as "Gyeongbokgung" (the ...

. Called Songdo while it was the ancient capital of Goryeo, the city prospered as a trade centre that produced Korean

ginseng Ginseng () is the root of plants in the genus ''Panax'', such as Korean ginseng ('' P. ginseng''), South China ginseng ('' P. notoginseng''), and American ginseng ('' P. quinquefolius''), typically characterized by the presence of ginsenosides an ...

. Kaesong now functions as the DPRK's

light industry Light industry are industries that usually are less capital-intensive than heavy industry and are more consumer-oriented than business-oriented, as they typically produce smaller consumer goods. Most light industry products are produced for ...

centre. During the Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945, the city was known by the Japanese pronunciation of its name, "Kaijō". Between 1945 and 1950, Kaesong was part of South Korea and under its control. The 1953

Korean Armistice Agreement The Korean Armistice Agreement ( ko, 한국정전협정 / 조선정전협정; zh, t=韓國停戰協定 / 朝鮮停戰協定) is an armistice that brought about a complete cessation of hostilities of the Korean War. It was signed by United Sta ...

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

. As of 2009, the city had a population of 192,578.

History

The earliest archaeological signs of habitation in the Kaesong area date from the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

. Artifacts such as

Jeulmun pottery Comb Ceramic or Pit-Comb Ware (in Europe), Jeulmun pottery or Jeulmun vessel (in Korea) is a type of pottery subjected to geometric patterns from a comb-like tool. This type of pottery was widely distributed in the Baltic, Finland, the Volga ups ...

, stone ware, and stone axes have been excavated from Osongsan and

Kaesong Nasong Kaesong (, ) 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 t ...

, 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 Mahan () was a loose confederacy of statelets that existed from around the 1st century BC to 5th century AD in the southern Korean peninsula in the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces. Gina Lee Barnes, 《State Formation in Korea: Historical and A ...

, and was referred to as ''Busogap'' during the rule of

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...

. Before the strength of

Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...

was retreated to the southwest of

Jungnyeong Jungnyeong is a mountain pass in the Sobaek Mountains of central South Korea. It reaches a height of . It stands on the flank of Sobaeksan, which reaches more than twice that height. The pass connects Punggi-eup, Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do wit ...

Mungyeong Saejae Mungyeong Saejae (Hangul: 문경새재) is a mountain pass in central South Korea. It lies on Joryeong Mountain between the main peak (1017 m) and Sinseon Peak (967 m). The pass itself rises to above sea level. Mungyeong Saejae conn ...

, and

Asan Bay Asan Bay is a South Korean bay in the Yellow Sea. Named after the city of Asan immediately to its south, it lies at the mouth of several rivers and separates the provinces of Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongnam-do South Chungcheong Province ( ko, ...

in 475, the area had been a part of

for about 100 years. However, it became a territory of

Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...

in 555, the 16th year of

Jinheung of Silla Kim Sammaekjong (526–576; reign 540–576) was the 24th monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He followed King Beopheung (r. 514–540) and was followed by King Jinji (r. 576–579). Jinheung was the nephew / grandson of K ...

's reign, and its name was changed to ''Song'ak-gun'' during the period. According to the ''

Samguk Sagi ''Samguk Sagi'' (, ''History of the Three Kingdoms'') is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The ''Samguk Sagi'' is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea, ...

'', when a castle was built in the site in 694, the third year of

Hyoso of Silla Hyoso (687–702) (r. 692–702) was the thirty-second monarch of Silla, a kingdom that flourished on the Korean peninsula from approximately 200 to 927 CE. He was the eldest son of King Sinmun and his second consort Queen Sinmok. He reigned for ...

's reign, Kaesong was referred to as "Song'ak (송악; 松嶽)". Therefore, it is assumed that the name Song'ak had been used at least before the time.

Goryeo

Silla began to decline in late 9th century, and a period of rival warlords ensued. In 898, Kaesong fell under the hand of

Gung Ye Gung Ye ( – 24 July 918, r. July 901 – 24 July 918) was the king of the short-lived state of Taebong (901–918), one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Although he was a member of the Silla royal family, he became a victim of the power s ...

, the founder of his short-lived state,

, and then became a part of

in 919 by its founder, Wang Geon, who was enthroned as

Taejo of Goryeo Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Three ...

. Taejo established the capital in the south of Song'ak, and incorporated Kaesong into Song'ak under the name of "Gaeju". In 919, Kaesong became the national capital. In 960, the 11th year of

Gwangjong of Goryeo Gwangjong of Goryeo (925 – 4 July 975), personal name Wang So, was the fourth king of Goryeo. Biography Birth and early life Gwangjong was born in 925 as Wang So, fourth son of King Taejo, who had founded Goryeo in 918. His mother was Queen S ...

's reign, the city was renamed Gaegyeong, and in 995, the 14th year of

Seonjong of Goryeo Seonjong of Goryeo (9 October 1049 – 17 June 1094) (r. 1083–1094) was the 13th king of Goryeo. He was the second son of Empress Inye and born in September, 1049. He was sealed as marquis of Gukwon (國原侯) in March, 1056. Harmony of Confuc ...

's reign, it was elevated to "Gaesong-bu". The Gaeseong-bu is a combined term of Song'ak-gun, and Gaesong-gun, which is different from the region of the pre-1945 Gaesong-ri, Seo-myeon, Kaepung-gun. In 1010, the first year of

Hyeonjong of Goryeo Hyeonjong of Goryeo (1 August 992 – 17 June 1031, r. 1009–1031) was the 8th ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was a grandson of King Taejo. He was appointed by the military leader Gang Jo, whom the previous King Mokjong had called ...

's reign, the palace and houses were almost burnt down during the

second conflict in the Goryeo–Khitan War The Second Goryeo-Khitan War (; ) was an 11th-century conflict between the Goryeo, Goryeo dynasty of Korea and the Khitan people, Khitan-led Liao dynasty of China near what is now the border between People's Republic of China, China and North Kore ...

, so in 1018, Gaesong-bu was relegated for the "bu" system, and became to govern the three hyeon unites of Jeongju, Deoksu, and Gangeum. In the late 12th century, there was instability in both the government and the countryside. A slave named Manjǒk (or spelled as Manjeok) (만적; 萬積) led a group of slaves who gathered outside Kaesong in 1198. The revolt plot was suppressed by

Choe Chung-heon Choe Chung-heon (1149 – 29 October 1219) was a military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo period. Choe's father was a Grand General in the Goryeo military, hence precipitating his own entry into the military. Choe witnessed military men become ...

. When Yi Songgye overthrew Goryeo in 1392 and established the

Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

Taejo of Joseon Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was ...

, he moved the Korean capital from Kaesong to Hanyang (modern-day

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...

) in 1394.

20th century

Kaesong remained a part of

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...

until the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. When Korea was partitioned at the 38th parallel after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Kaesong was on the southern side of the line (within South Korea). However, the battle of Kaesong-Munsan was won by the

Korean People's Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) is the military force of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Under the ''Songun'' policy, it is the central institution of North Korean society. Currently, WPK General Sec ...

(KPA) in the first days of the Korean War. The city was recaptured by UN Forces on 9 October 1950 during the pursuit of the KPA that followed the successful

Inchon landings The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved s ...

. UN Forces

abandoned Abandon, abandoned, or abandonment may refer to: Common uses * Abandonment (emotional), a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, or discarded * Abandonment (legal), a legal term regarding property ** Chi ...

the city 16 December 1950 during the withdrawal to the

Imjin River The Imjin River ( in South Korea) or Rimjin River ( in North Korea) is the 7th largest river in Korea. It flows from north to south, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, near the Yellow Sea. The river i ...

following the Chinese

People's Volunteer Army The People's Volunteer Army (PVA) was the armed expeditionary forces deployed by the People's Republic of China during the Korean War. Although all units in the PVA were actually transferred from the People's Liberation Army under the order ...

intervention in the war. Kaesong would remain under Chinese/North Korean control until the end of the war. Ceasefire negotiations began in Kaesong on 10 July 1951, but were moved to

Panmunjom Panmunjom, also known as Panmunjeom, now located in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea or Kaesong, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, was a village just north of the ''de facto'' border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 Korea ...

, southeast of the city, on 25 October 1951. The

signed on 27 July 1953 recognised

n 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

. The city is close to the

Demilitarized Zone A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or bounda ...

that divides North and South Korea. In October 2019, Kaesong became a "Special City".

Geography

Located in the center of Korea, Kaesong is the southernmost city of North Korea. It is bordered by

Kaepung Kaep'ung County was a county in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea. Formerly part of the Kaesong urban area, the county was merged with North Hwanghae when Kaesong was demoted in 2003. The area is the site of the royal tombs of Mausoleum of King ...

, Changpung, Panmun, and

Kumchon Kŭmch'ŏn County is a county in the North Hwanghae province of North Korea. It has a population of 68,216. Geography Kŭmch'ŏn is bordered to the west by Kaesong, Kaesŏng, to the south by Kaepung, Kaep'ung, to the northwest by Tosan County, T'o ...

counties.

Kanghwa Island Ganghwa Island (Hangul ; Hanja ), also known by its native name Ganghwado, is a South Korean island in the estuary of the Han River. It is in the Yellow Sea, off Korea's west coast. The island is separated from Gimpo (on the South Korean mainlan ...

Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...

Municipality lies just south, beyond a narrow channel. It covers an area of 1,309 km², the urban district is surrounded by

Songak Kaesong (, ) 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 t ...

(Songak-san; 송악산; 松嶽山) (489 m) and Pongmyong mountains. The city center surrounds the much smaller Mt. Janam (103 m), on which is located the city's Kim Il Sung statue. In the northern part of Kaesong, the end of the Ahobiryŏng range creates the northernmost border of Kaesong City. This range consists of Mts. Chŏnma (757 m), Sŏnggŏ, Myoji (764 m), Suryong (716 m), Chesŏk (749 m), Hwajang (558 m), and Ogwan. With the exception of the mountainous northeastern region, however, most areas of Kaesong consist of low hills with the height less than 100 meters. The

flows along the northeastern border line of the city and the

Ryesong River The Ryesŏng River is a river of North Korea. It flows from north to south, emptying into the Yellow Sea by Ganghwa Island, just west of the mouth of the River Imjin. See also *Rivers of Korea *Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal se ...

(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. The geology consists of the

Proterozoic The Proterozoic () is a geological eon spanning the time interval from 2500 to 538.8million years ago. It is the most recent part of the Precambrian "supereon". It is also the longest eon of the Earth's geologic time scale, and it is subdivided ...

Cenozoic The Cenozoic ( ; ) is Earth's current geological era, representing the last 66million years of Earth's history. It is characterised by the dominance of mammals, birds and flowering plants, a cooling and drying climate, and the current configura ...

, and

Paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ' ...

strata In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...

and

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceo ...

intrusive

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...

. The underground resources include

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

, fluorspar,

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

, granite, and

kaolin Kaolinite ( ) is a clay mineral, with the chemical composition Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4. It is an important industrial mineral. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet of silica () linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral ...

. The soil comprises generally brown forest soil while the areas drained by Yesŏng, Imjin, and Han rivers consist of mostly

alluvial Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...

and

saline soil Soil salinity is the salt content in the soil; the process of increasing the salt content is known as salinization. Salts occur naturally within soils and water. Salination can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the ...

. The climate is generally warm and moderate, with an average annual temperature of around 10 ℃. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of −5.9 ℃, while the hottest month is August, with an average temperature of 24.7 ℃. The average annual rainfall ranges from 1,300 to 1,400 millimeters. The duration of frost-free period is 180 days—the longest in North Korea. About 55% of Kaesong is forested (80% of the trees are pines), and 40 species of mammals and 250 birds inhabit the area.

Climate

Kaesong has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

: ''Dwa''), with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers with abundant rainfall.

Administrative divisions

Before 2002, Kaesong Directly Governed City was divided into one city (Kaesŏng itself) and three counties;

Changpung County Changp'ung County is a county in North Hwanghae province, North Korea. Formerly part of the Kaesong urban area, the county was merged with North Hwanghae when Kaesong was demoted in 2003. The county sits northeast of Kaesong city and borders Kumc ...

and

. In 2003, P'anmun-gun and part of Kaesong-si were separated from Kaesŏng Directly Governed City and merged to form

. The remaining part of Kaesŏng joined

in 2002. Kaesong is currently divided into 24 administrative districts known as Dong, as well as three villages ("ri").

Culture

Landmarks

Kaesong is home to the

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kaesong, North Korea. The site consists of 12 separate components, which together testify to the history and culture of the Koryo Dynasty from the 10th to 14th centuries. ...

. Koryo Songgyungwan University (Light Industry), Communist University and Art College are located in Kaesong. The

Koryo Museum Koryo may refer to: Korea Koryo or Goryeo () was the name of several states in Korean history, known as Corea or Coree in the western world: *Goryeo was a state located in northern and central Korean Peninsula and southern and central Manchuria fro ...

, housed in the city's old

Confucian academy The Confucian Academy is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1930 by Dr. Chen Huanzhang ( 陳煥章) to promote Confucianism. It follows Confucius's teachings to provide students with the relevant knowledge. His teachings are based ...

, 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 The Korean Central History Museum( ko, 조선중앙력사박물관) is a museum located in Pyongyang, North Korea.) The museum is located at the north end of Kim Il-sung Square. It contains displays on Korean history from primitive society to the m ...

Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...

). 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

Tomb of King Wanggon The Mausoleum of King Wang Kŏn, more correctly known as the Hyŏllŭng Royal Tomb, is a mausoleum located Haesong Village, Kaepung County near Kaesŏng, North Korea. The tomb belongs to the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, Wang Kon, who receive ...

, belonging to the dynasty's founder,

, is located to the west of the city in Kaepung-gun. Other notable tombs include those of kings

Hyejong of Goryeo Hyejong of Goryeo (912 – 23 October 945) (r. 943–945) was the second King of Goryeo. He was preceded by King Taejo and succeeded by Jeongjong, 3rd Monarch of Goryeo. Early life Hyejong was born to King Taejo and his second wife, Janghw ...

(the Sollung Royal Tomb),

Gyeongjong of Goryeo Gyeongjong of Goryeo (9 November 955 – 13 August 981) (r. 975–981) was the fifth ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was the eldest son of Gwangjong and was confirmed as Crown Prince in the year of his birth. Upon rising to the throne ...

( Yongrung Royal Tomb), Seongjong of Goryeo ( Kangrung Royal Tomb),

( Sollung Royal Tomb),

Munjong of Goryeo Munjong of Goryeo (29 December 1019 – 2 September 1083) was the 11th monarch of the Goryeo Dynasty, who ruled Korea from 1046 to 1083. King Munjong was born in 1019, and reigned from 1046 until his death in 1083. During his reign, the central ...

( Kyongrung Royal Tomb), and

Gongmin of Goryeo Gongmin of Goryeo (23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374), also known by his Mongolian language, Mongolian name, Bayan Temür., was 31st ruler of Goryeo from 1351 to 1374. He was the second son of Chungsuk of Goryeo, King Chungsuk. Biography Early ...

(

Tomb of King Kongmin The Mausoleum of King Kongmin, more correctly known as the Hyonjongnung Royal Tomb, is a 14th-century mausoleum located in Haeson Village, Kaepung County just outside the city of Kaesong, North Korea. It is one of the Royal Tombs of the Gorye ...

). Kaesong also contains North Korea's only two royal tombs dating to the

: the Hurung Royal Tomb, belonging to the dynasty's second king,

Jeongjong of Joseon Jeongjong of Joseon (26 July 1357 – 24 October 1419), born Yi Bang-gwa (), whose changed name is Yi Gyeong (), was the second ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Taejo, the founder and first monarch of the ...

, and the Cherung Royal Tomb, containing the remains of Queen Sinui, wife of the dynasty's founder,

Yi Songgye Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was ...

(Taejo of Joseon). The two final tombs, despite belonging to members of the Joseon royal family, were excluded from the World Heritage Site Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty because of their location in North Korea.

Cuisine

North Korea-Kaesong-Tongil restaurant-02

Since Kaesong was the capital of

with 487 years of rule, its culinary culture was highly developed. The luxurious style of Kaesong cuisine is frequently compared with those of

cuisine and

Jeolla Jeolla Province (, ) was one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Kingdom of Joseon in today Southwestern Korea. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Gwangju Metropolitan City as wel ...

cuisine. Kaesong cuisine was traditionally treated as part of

Gyeonggi Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...

cuisine, since Kaesong belonged to Gyeonggi Province until 1950. However, it has been incorporated into the administration of North Korea after the

while Gyeonggi Province is in South Korea. ''Bossam

kimchi ''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including ''gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), sprin ...

'' (wrapped kimchi), ''pyeonsu'' (square-shaped summer mandu), ''

sinseollo ''Sinseollo'' * () or royal hot pot is an elaborate dish consisting of meatballs, small and round '' jeonyueo'' (전유어), mushrooms, and vegetables cooked in a rich broth in Korean royal court cuisine. The dish is a form of '' jeongol'' (ela ...

'' (royal casserole), ''

seolleongtang ''Seolleongtang'' * () or ox bone soup is a Korean broth tang (soup) made from ox bones (mostly leg bones), brisket and other cuts. Seasoning is generally done at the table according to personal taste by adding salt, ground black pepper, red p ...

'' (ox bone soup), ''

chueotang ''Chueo-tang'' () or loach soup is a '' tang'' (soup) made from pond loach, a freshwater fish. * The southwestern Korean city of Namwon is known for its version of the dish. Etymology ''Chueo'' () is a nickname for pond loach, called ''mikku ...

'' (mudfish soup), ''joraengi

tteokguk Tteokguk * () or sliced rice cake soup is a traditional Korean dish eaten during the celebration of the Korean New Year. The dish consists of the broth/soup (''guk'') with thinly sliced rice cakes (''tteok''). It is tradition to eat ''tteokguk' ...

'' (rice cake soup), ''umegi'' (

tteok ''Tteok'' ( ko, 떡) is a class of Korean rice cakes made with steamed flour made of various grains, including glutinous rice, glutinous or non-glutinous Japonica rice, rice. Steamed flour can also be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make ''tt ...

covered with syrup), and

gyeongdan ''Gyeongdan'' () or Korean rice ball cake is a type of ''tteok'' (rice cake) made of glutinous rice or other glutinous cereal flours. When the cereal other than rice is used, its name is usually specified, making compound nouns such as ''susugye ...

(ball-shaped ''tteok'') are representative Kaesong dishes. ''Umegi'', also called ''Kaesong juak'', is a holiday food of Kaesong, and known for the delicate style with the sweet and nutty taste. The dish is made by kneading a mixture of rice flour and glutinous rice flour with warm water, by shaping the dough into balls with either one

pine nut Pine nuts, also called piñón (), pinoli (), pignoli or chilgoza (), are the edible seeds of pines (family Pinaceae, genus ''Pinus''). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, only 29 species provide edible nuts, while 20 are trade ...

jujube Jujube (), sometimes jujuba, known by the scientific name ''Ziziphus jujuba'' and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus ''Ziziphus'' in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. Description It is a smal ...

, by frying and coating them with syrup.

Economy

With its

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

climate Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologic ...

and soil, Kaesong has advantageous natural conditions for Agriculture, agricultural productions. The water supply system is established with 18 reservoirs, including Songdo Reservoir, built for agricultural advances and about 150 pumping stations as well as hundreds of dammed pools. The cultivated land accounts for 27% of Kaesong's area. Rice, maize, soybeans, wheat, and barley are the main crops. Among them, rice production accounts for 60% of the whole grain production, and

and Panmun are the two primary regions, producing more than 70% of the rice production. In addition, vegetable and fruit cultivation including peach, apple and persimmon, livestock farming, and sericulture are active. Peach is a local specialty of Kaesong, especially white peach, which accounts for more than 25% of the total fruit production. The counties of Kaepung-gun and Panmun-gun are also known for cultivating the quality Korean

called ''Goryeo Insam''. Kaesŏng is DPRK's

centre. The urban district is equipped with a Jewellery, jewel processing factory, ginseng processing factory and an embroidery factory. Since the

period, Kaesong had been a center of handcrafts such as Goryeo ware and commerce while the textile industry has been the primary business along with the production of grocery goods, daily general goods, and ginseng products after the division into the two states. The food processing industry ranks next to the textile business, mainly producing ''miso, jang'' (soybean-based condiments), oil, Canned Foods, canned foods, Korean alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and others. In addition, resin, timber, handicrafts, pottery, shoes, school supplies, musical instruments, and glass are produced. Kaesong has factories for producing agricultural machines and tractor repair. As of 2002, the city contained the headquarters of the Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Central Bank of North Korea, with branches also in Kapung and Panmun counties. The DPRK and ROK jointly operate an industrial complex in the Kaesong Industrial Region. The industrial park, built around 2005, employs over 53,400 North Koreans at over 120 South Korean textile and other labor-intensive factories. In early 2013, approximately 887 South Koreans worked in the complex, which produced an estimated $470 million of goods in 2012, and the complex employed a sixth of Kaesong's working people. Amid tensions in 2013, the industrial park was temporarily closed. 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 Namdaemun (Kaesong), Kaesong Namdaemun gate, the Songgyungwan, Songgyungwan Confucian Academy, now the Koryo Museum, and the Sonjuk Bridge, Sonjuk Bridge and Pyochung Pavilion. Less-known sites include Kwandok Pavilion, the ruined Goryeo-era Manwoldae Palace, Anhwa Temple, Sungyang Hall, Mokchong Hall, and the Kaesong Chomsongdae (개성 첨성대; 開城瞻星臺) observatory. Located to the west of the city are the tombs of Kings Tomb of King Kongmin, Kongmin and Tomb of King Wanggon, Wanggon; twenty-four km north of Kaesong is Taehungsan Fortress, a Koguryo satellite fortress built to protect

. This castle contains the Kwanumsa (Kaesong), Kwanum and Taehungsa, Taehung Temples. The famous Pakyon Falls are located in the area, as well as a large, recently discovered Goryeo-era Buddha carved into the stone on Chonmasan, Mt. Chonma. Most tourists to Kaesong are put in the traditional Kaesong Folk Hotel, housed in 19 traditional hanok courtyard houses.

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 Seongjong of Goryeo, King Seongjong of

, 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

'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). The first modern school that appeared in Kaesong was Hanyeong Seowon (한영서원; 韓英書院), or Anglo-Korean School established by Yun Chi-ho in 1906, with the help of American missionaries Mr. Wasson, and Mr. Candler. It obtained authorization as Songdo High School from Governor-General of Korea in 1917, and expanded to the Songdo School Foundation in 1950 with the accreditation for the establishment of Songdo Middle School and Songdo College of Pharmacy, the latter of which produced 40 graduates. However, when the Korean War occurred, the foundation was moved to Incheon, and reconstructed Songdo Middle and High Schools in 1953 which still exist to the present. 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

and their campuses now are located in

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.개성직할시 교육과 문화 (Education and Culture of Kaesong)
(in Korean) Nate / Britannica

Transportation

Kaesong is connected to

and other cities by rail and highways. The city's main railway station is Kaesong Station, which is on the Pyongbu Line. There was a project to build a trolleybus line in this city though never completed.

Sister cities

* Cusco (1990)

People born in Kaesong

* Uicheon (1055–1191), founder of the Cheontae Buddhist sect * Choe Chung-heon, Choe Chung-hon (1149–1219), a military ruler of Korea during the

* Choe Woo, Choe U (died 1249), general of the

, son of Choe Chung-Hon * Hwang Hui (1363–1452), prime minister of

* Hwang Jin-i (1515–1550), famous Kisaeng and 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 * Youn Yuh-jung (1947-), South Korean actress and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Academy Award winner * Woo In-hee (died 1981), North Korean actress and a mistress of Kim Jong-il.

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

* .

External links

Gaeseong Industrial District Foundation Foreign Investment Support Center

German website about the City of Kaesong
*
North Korea opens hidden city to tourists
" ''BBC News''. Friday 7 December 2007.
City profile of Kaesong

''Historical Remains in Kaesong'' picture album
at Naenara
Another picture album
at Naenara * {{Authority control Kaesong, Directly Governed Cities and Special Administrative Regions of North Korea Former capitals of Korea