T'ongch'ŏn County is a
''kun'', or county, in
Kangwŏn province,
North Korea. It abuts the
Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea) to the north and east. Famous people from T'ongch'ŏn include
Hyundai Hyundai is a South Korean industrial conglomerate ("chaebol"), which was restructured into the following groups:
* Hyundai Group, parts of the former conglomerate which have not been divested
** Hyundai Mobis, Korean car parts company
** Hyundai As ...
Founder
Chung Ju-yung, who is believed to have been born there.
History
The region was called Hyuyang county during the reign of King Gwanggaeto. The region became part of Silla during the reign of King Jinheung,
Administrative divisions
T'ongch'ŏn county is divided into 1 ''
ŭp
An ''eup'' or ''ŭp'' () is an administrative unit in both North Korea and South Korea similar to the unit of town.
In South Korea
Along with "Myeon (administrative division), myeon", an "eup" is one of the divisions of a county ("County#Kore ...
'' (town) and 30 ''
ri'' (villages):
Physical features
The terrain is mountainous in the west, sloping down to the coastal plains (including the
T'ongch'ŏn Plain and
Hupkok Plain) in the east. The plains are used for rice cultivation. The area is prone to fog. As elsewhere along the Kangwŏn coast, there are various
lagoons.
Economy
Due to the extensive plains, agriculture is a major local industry; in addition to rice, the county produces barley, wheat, oats, millet, maize, soybeans, and potatoes. Lumbering and fishing also play a role.
Tourism
The region has long been a popular destination due to the proximity of
Mount Kŭmgang and, in recent years, tourists from
South Korea have passed through the area in great numbers.
Transport
;Road
A highway runs along the coastline.
;Rail
T'ongch'ŏn county is served by
T'ongch'ŏn Station and five other stations on the
Kŭmgangsan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line of the
Korean State Railway.
Notable people from Tongchon County
*
Chung Ju-yung,
South Korean entrepreneur, businessman and the founder of
Hyundai Group
Hyundai Group (; ) is a South Korean conglomerate founded by Chung Ju-yung. The first company in the group was founded in 1947 as a construction company. With government assistance, Chung and his family members rapidly expanded into various in ...
*
Ri Yong-ho,
North Korean
vice-marshal
*
Ri Chun-hee, North Korean broadcaster for
Korean Central Television
See also
*
Geography of North Korea
*
Administrative divisions of North Korea
The administrative divisions of North Korea are organized into three hierarchical levels. These divisions were created in 2002. Many of the units have equivalents in the system of South Korea. At the highest level are nine provinces and fou ...
References
External links
*
{{coord missing, North Korea
Counties of Kangwon Province (North Korea)