Nyŏngbyŏn County (in standard Southern dialect: Yŏngbyŏn) is a county in North Pyŏngan 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 Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

. It borders the cities of Kaechŏn and Anju, and covers an area of 504 km².

Description

The city was heavily fortified during the 15th century as a result of its strategic position, and during the Josŏn Dynasty, became a retreat for the aristocratic '' ryangban'' due to its fantastic scenery. The city's Yaksan, meaning medicine mountain, was well known for its azaleas; the modern poet

Kim So-wol Kim Sowol ( ko, 김소월; 1902–1934) was a Korean language poet famous for his contributions to early modern poetry. Throughout his life he wrote his poignant poetry in a style reminiscent of traditional Korean folk songs. The most prized ...

wrote one of his best-known poems on this subject. Two other mountains, Yaksan-dongdae, east of Yaksan, and Moran Hill are also scenic spots. Nyŏngbyŏn also houses many important relics, including the Chŏnju and Soun Buddhist temples, dating from 1345 and 1684 respectively; the Ryuksung Pavilion, famous for "six scenic views" of Nyŏngbyŏn; and the Ch'ŏl'ong Castle, built to protect the city during the Ri Dynasty. The south gate of Nyŏngbyŏn, called

Mannomun Manno Gate is the old south gate of the county of Yŏngbyon. Dating to the Joseon Dynasty, the gate was first constructed in 1658, and later rebuilt in 1789. Once guarding the road to Pyongyang, it bears a striking similarity to Pyongyang's Tae ...

, is also nearby.

Administrative divisions

Nyŏngbyŏn county is divided into 1 '' ŭp'' (town), 1 '' rodongjagu'' (workers' district) and 26 '' ri'' (villages):

Economy

The Nyŏngbyŏn Nuclear Scientific Research Centre, a major component of the North Korean nuclear program, is located here.

Transportation

The Chŏngnyŏn Pharwŏn 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 ...

passes through Nyŏngbyŏn county.

References

* http://www.kcckp.net/ko/periodic/todaykorea/index.php?contents+2960+2007-09+101+15 * http://www.kcckp.net/en/periodic/todaykorea/index.php?contents+3101+2007-11+103+6

External links