Wŏnsan (), previously known as Wŏnsanjin (), Port Lazarev, and Genzan (), is a port city and naval base located in
Kangwŏn Province,
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 ...
, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...
and the provincial capital. The port was opened by occupying
Japanese forces in 1880. Before the 19501953
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 ...
, it fell within the jurisdiction of the then
South Hamgyŏng province, and during the war it was the location of the
Blockade of Wŏnsan. The population of the city was estimated at 329,207 in 2013. Notable people from Wŏnsan include
Kim Ki-nam, a diplomat and former Vice Chairman of the ruling
Workers' Party of Korea
The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) is the founding and sole ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea. Founded in 1949 from the merger of the Workers' Party of North Korea and the Workers' Party ...
.
In 2013, it was announced that Wŏnsan would be converted into a summer destination with resorts and entertainment. Having spent his childhood years there,
Kim Jong-un has expressed significant interest in further developing the region, with the construction of new infrastructure such as
Kalma Airport
Kalma Airport is a dual-use civil and military airport in Wonsan, Kangwon-do, North Korea. A new international terminal and passenger ramp opened in September 2015.
History
Korean War
The Republic of Korea Army Capital Division captured ...
, a dual-use civilian international airport and military
proving ground
A proving ground (US) is an installation or reservation in which technology such as weapons, military tactics and automobile prototypes are experimented with or tested. Proving grounds can be operated by government bodies or civilian industries. ...
. A state corporation, the Wonsan Zone Development Corporation, has been established with feasibility studies for a wide variety of hotels and commercial and industrial development.
Name
Wonsan has also been known as Yonghunghang, Yuan shan in China, Genzan or Gensan in Japan, and Port Lazareva or Port Lazareff in Russia.
Geography
Wŏnsan's area is . It is located in Kangwŏn Province, on the westernmost part of the
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...
(East Sea of Korea) and the east end of the Korean peninsula's neck. Mt. Changdok (Changdok-san) and Mt. Nap'al (Nap'al-san) are located to the west of the city. More than 20 small islands flank Wŏnsan's immediate coastal area, including Hwangt'o Island and Ryŏ Island. Wŏnsan is considered an excellent natural port location.
Kŭmgang-san mountain is located near Wŏnsan.
Administrative divisions
Wŏnsan serves as the administrative centre of Kangwŏn Province.
The City of Wŏnsan (Wŏnsan-si) is divided into 45 ''
tong Tong may refer to:
Chinese
*Tang Dynasty, a dynasty in Chinese history when transliterated from Cantonese
*Tong (organization), a type of social organization found in Chinese immigrant communities
*''tong'', pronunciation of several Chinese char ...
'' (neighbourhoods) and 14 ''
ri'' (villages):
* Changchon-dong
* Changdŏk-dong
* Changsan-dong
* Chŏkchŏn-dong
* Chŏnjin-dong
* Chungchŏng-dong
* Haean-dong
* Haebang 1-dong
* Haebang 2-dong
* Kaesŏn-dong
* Kalma-dong
* Kwangsŏk-dong
* Kwanphung-dong
* Myŏngsasimri-dong
* Myŏngsŏk-dong
* Naewŏnsan-dong
* Namsan-dong
* Panghasan-dong
* Pogmak-dong
* Poha-dong
* Pongchun-dong
* Pongsu-dong
* Phyŏnghwa-dong
* Ryŏdo-dong
* Ryongha-dong
* Ryul-dong
* Sambong-dong
* Sang-dong
* Segil-dong
* Sinhŭng-dong
* Sinphung-dong
* Sinsŏng-dong
* Sŏgu-dong
* Sŏkhyŏn-dong
* Songchŏn-dong
* Songhŭng-dong
* Sŭngri-dong
* Tŏksŏng-dong
* Tongmyŏngsan-dong
* Thap-dong
* Wau-dong
* Wŏnnam 1-dong
* Wŏnnam 2-dong
* Wŏnsŏk-dong
* Yangji-dong
* Changrim-ri
* Chuksal-li
* Chungp'yŏng-ri
* Chilbong-ri
* Chunsan-ri
* Hyŏndong-ri
* Namchŏn-ri
* Raksu-ri
* Ryongchŏn-ri
* Samthae-ri
* Sangja-ri
* Sinsŏng-ri
* Susang-ri
* Yŏngsam-ri
Climate
The city 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 Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Dwa'').
History
![Port Lazaref](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Port_Lazaref.jpg)
Ancient History
Evidence of humans living in the area during the
Neolithic period
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 ...
and
Bronze age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
was found in the Chungpyongdong (Now promoted to ri) area, where pottery was found. The area was called Eo eul mae (於乙買) and Chonjung county (泉井郡) when it was under 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 ...
and became Jungchon county (井泉郡) after it incorporated into the kingdom 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 681. After
Taejo of Goryeo conquered the region, the region was renamed as yongju (湧州) where it was ruled by a special defense administrator. The area was renamed again as Uiju (宜州), and a fortress was constructed in 1108. From 1258 to 1356, it was part of the
Ssangseong Prefectures
The Ssangseong Prefectures were administrative divisions of the Yuan dynasty established in 1258 in modern-day Kumya County, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea. It was founded as a base for conquest and domination of northern Goryeo territory ...
.
Modern History
Wŏnsan opened as a trade port in 1880. Its original name was Wŏnsanjin (元山津), but it was also known by the Russian name of Port Lazarev (Lazaref). Under
Japanese rule (1910–45) it was called Gensan (元山). In 1914 the
P'yŏngwŏn and
Kyŏngwŏn
Kyŏngwŏn County is a ''kun'', or county, in North Hamgyong province, North Korea, located at , formerly known as Saebyŏl. It is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the north and east, Kyonghung to the southeast, Hoeryong to the sout ...
railway lines were opened, connecting the city to
P'yŏngyang (then known as Heijo) and
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 ...
(then Keijo or Kyŏngsŏng). Thus, the city gradually developed into an eastern product distribution centre. Under the Japanese occupation, the city was heavily industrialized and served as an import point in the distribution of trade between Korea and
mainland Japan
is a term to distinguish the area of Japan from its outlying territories. It was an official term in the pre-war period, distinguishing Japan and its colonies in the Far East. After the end of World War II, the term became uncommon, but stil ...
.
![Wonsan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Wonsan._Doppelmonument_Kim_Il-sung_-_Kim_Jong-il.jpg)
After 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 ...
broke out it was captured by
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
and
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 ...
n troops on 10 October 1950 during their drive north. When they left ahead of the
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
counter-attack, the city fell under Chinese control on 9 December 1950. It was heavily bombed and shelled by the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
in the
Blockade of Wonsan
The Blockade of Wonsan, or the siege of Wonsan, from February 16, 1951 to July 27, 1953, during the Korean War, was the longest naval blockade in modern history, lasting 861 days. UN naval forces, primarily from the United States, successfully ...
during 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 ...
. According to the official US Navy history, Wŏnsan was under continuous siege and bombardment by the American navy from March 1951 until July 27, 1953, making it the longest siege in modern American naval history. By the war's end the city was a vast shell.
City centre redevelopment
Kim Jong-un announced in 2015 plans for a $582 million redevelopment of the city centre, which is to be entirely demolished and rebuilt. A 5-star hotel, a 17-story Wonsan International Finance Centre and a $9.6m exhibition hall are expected to be built.
Kim Jong Un
Kim Jong-un (; , ; born 8 January 1982) is a North Korean politician who has been Supreme Leader of North Korea since 2011 and the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is a son of Kim Jong-il, who was North Korea's secon ...
maintains a private compound in Wonsan that includes a palace with several guest houses, a harbor with a boathouse, a beach and a racehorse track.
Provincial borders
Wŏnsan used to be in
South Hamgyŏng, but when provincial borders were redrawn in 1946, it joined the northern half of
Kangwŏn (which had been split at the
38th parallel north into a zone under Soviet control in the north and one of American control in the south in 1945) and became its capital, as Kangwŏn's traditional capitals
Wŏnju (1395–1895) and
Ch'unch'ŏn (since 1896) both were south of the 38th parallel and south of the
Military Demarcation Line
The Military Demarcation Line (MDL), sometimes referred to as the Armistice Line, is the land border or demarcation line between North Korea and South Korea. On either side of the line is the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The MDL and DMZ ...
that replaced the 38th parallel as a border in 1953.
Economy
Wŏnsan has an aquatic product processing factory, shipyard, chemistry enterprise, a cement factory, as well as the
4 June Rolling Stock Works, which is one of the DPRK's largest railway rolling stock factories.
[Kokubu, Hayato (2007). 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō). Tokyo. p. 130. .]
Transportation
;Road and rail
The district of Wŏnsan-si is served by several stations on the
Kangwŏn Line of the
Korean State Railway
The Korean State Railway (), commonly called the State Rail () is the operating arm of the Ministry of Railways of North Korea and has its headquarters at Pyongyang, P'yŏngyang. The current Minister of Railways is Chang Jun Song.
History
...
, including a branch to the
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
; it is also connected to the national road network, and is the terminus of the
P'yŏngyang-Wŏnsan Tourist Motorway and the
Wŏnsan-Kŭmgangsan Highway.
;Air
The city has the dual purpose military and civilian
Wŏnsan Airport (
IATA: WON) equipped with 01/19 and 15/33 dual runways. Images from Google Earth from July and August 2014 indicated that major expansion was taking place, including the construction of two new runways. There is also an underground air force runway which runs through a mountain, near Wonsan. North Korea's first public air show, the
Wonsan International Friendship Air Festival, was held at Wonsan Airport in September 2016.
;Sea
Wŏnsan was also the
terminus
Terminus may refer to:
* Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end destination
* Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination
Geography
*Terminus, the unofficial original name of Atlanta, Georgia, United ...
of the ''
Mangyongbong-92''
ferry
A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...
that operated between Wŏnsan and
Niigata, which was the only direct connection between
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and North Korea. This service was cancelled in 2006 when Japan banned North Korean ships.
Urban Transit
A trolleybus system with at two lines are currently in operation in Wonsan.
The system opened on September 8, 1988, from
Wonsan station to Changchon-dong.
In 2020, there were three new trolleybus lines under construction in the city, which is aimed at reducing the number of fossil fuel powered vehicles and to prevent air pollution, and a covered depot was opened. Prior to that, the vehicles were parked on the western loop. Services were often interrupted during this time.
The new lines were planned to run from Changchon-dong to
Kalma station, to Songdowon and to Myongsasimiri-dong.
NK News however, incorrectly reported by implying that it was only being revived recently, while in fact, new
Chollima-321 trolleybuses had been delivered since 2019.
In 2020, the extension from Changchon-dong to Kalma station was completed, while in 2021, a fully new line was opened, and trolleybuses started to run to Songdowon, from Changchon-dong.
A tram line is also under construction, with the trams to be built by the
Kim Chong-t'ae Electric Locomotive Works. The trams will be narrow gauge vehicles. This was after
Kim Jong-un stressed the need for a tram line at the resort area. The line was completed on November 24, 2020, though passenger service has not started due to the incomplete state of the rest of the resort.
Media
The Korean Central Broadcasting Station maintains a 250-kilowatt
mediumwave
Medium wave (MW) is the part of the medium frequency (MF) radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. The spectrum provides about 120 channels with more limited sound quality than FM stations on the FM broadcast band. During the dayti ...
transmitter broadcasting on 882 kHz AM.
Education
Wŏnsan is home to Songdowŏn University, Kŭmgang University, Tonghae University, Jong Jun Thaek University of Economics, Wŏnsan University of Medicine, Jo Gun Sil University of Engineering, Wŏnsan First University of Education, Ri Su Dok University, and the Maritime Patrol Academy, the commissioned officer's training school of the Korean People's Navy.
Sports
The city is home to
Unp'asan Sports Club, an
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
club that plays in the
DPR Korea First Class Sports Group, North Korea's premier league.
Tourism
Wonsan has long been a popular tourism destination for both Koreans and international visitors. Attractions include Songdowon beach, the site of the
Songdowon International Children's Union Camp, which maintains exceptionally clear and clean water. Pine trees are abundant in the surrounding area, and it has been designated a national sightseeing point. The nearby Kalma Peninsula is to feature a new hotel and a bathing area.
Wonsan Special Tourist Zone
Announced in 2014, the Wonsan Special Tourist Zone is to cover more than 400 square km and boasts 40 historical relics, 10 sand beaches, 680 tourist attractions, four mineral springs and several bathing resorts and natural lakes. As part of this development the
Masikryong Ski Resort
Masikryong Ski Resort ( ko, 마식령 스키장) is a ski resort at the summit of the Taehwa Peak ( ko, 대황산) some outside Wonsan City in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea.
According to the official project pl ...
was built in 2016. A $123m golf course is planned outside the city.
Famous scenic sites near Wŏnsan include
Myŏngsasimri,
Lake Sijung
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...
,
Chongsokchon and
Mt. Kŭmgang. Temples in the area include the
Sogwangsa
Sŏgwang-sa is a Korean Buddhist temple located in Sŏlbong-ri in Kosan County, Kangwon Province, North Korea. Once one of Korea's largest Buddhist temples, the complex was mostly destroyed by US bombing in 1951, and today it lies in ruins; ho ...
and
Anbyon Pohyonsa Buddhist temples. The German Church is the former church of the
Tŏkwŏn abbey, now used by the Wŏnsan University of Agriculture.
Sister cities
*
Sakaiminato, Tottori
is a city in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. In 2016, it had an estimated population of 33,888.
History
An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Sakai as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.
Sakaiminato was foun ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
(1992
–2006)
*
Puebla
Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
*
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
See also
*
List of East Asian ports
This table of major ports and harbours on the Pacific Ocean can be sorted by continent, body of water or political jurisdiction.
Table
Gallery
File:PortOVan.jpg, Port of Vancouver, Canada, the largest port in Canada and on the West Coast of ...
*
Geography of North Korea
North Korea is located in East Asia in the Northern half of Korea, partially on the Korean Peninsula. It borders three countries: China along the Yalu (Amnok) River, Russia along the Tumen River, and South Korea to the south.
Topography and dr ...
*
Naval bases of the Korean People's Navy
References
Further reading
*Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014.
Introduction to Investment Projects in Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone Wonsan Zone Development Corporation. Pyongyang, 2016.
External links
Wonsan Kalma Beach 원산 갈마 해변-
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 ...
amphibious assault ordered by General
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
Google Earth images of Wŏnsan including one of
Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong-il (; ; ; born Yuri Irsenovich Kim;, 16 February 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second supreme leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. He led North Korea from the 1994 death of his father Kim ...
's palaces, a military airfield, and the ferry ''
Mangyongbong-92''
nk.joins.com/map/view.asp?idx=i141.htmCity profile of Wonsan
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Kangwon Province (North Korea)
Port cities and towns in North Korea
Resort towns