Ryanggang Province

Ryanggang Province (Ryanggangdo; Korean: 량강도; MR: Ryanggang-do, Korean pronunciation: [ɾjaŋ.ɡaŋ.do]) is a province in North Korea. The province is bordered by China (Jilin) to the north, North Hamgyong to the east, South Hamgyong to the south, and Chagang to the west. Ryanggang was formed in 1954, when it was separated from South Hamgyŏng. The provincial capital is Hyesan. In South Korean usage, "Ryanggang" is spelled and pronounced as "Yanggang" Korean: 양강도; RR: Yanggang-do, Korean pronunciation: [jaŋ.ɡaŋ.do]).

Ryanggang Province 량강도
Province
Korean transcription(s)
• Chosŏn'gŭl	량강도
• Hancha	兩江道
• McCune-Reischauer	Ryanggang-do
• Revised Romanization	Ryanggang-do
Coordinates: 41°24′0.0″N 128°10′59.9″E
Country	North Korea
Region	Kwannam
Capital	Hyesan
Subdivisions	2 cities; 10 counties
Government
• Party Committee Chairman	Ri Sang-won[1] (WPK)
• Provincial People's Committee Chairman	Kim Chol Nam[2]
Area
• Total	14,317 km2 (5,528 sq mi)
Population  (2008)
• Total	719,269
• Density	50/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Pyongyang Time)
Dialect	Hamgyŏng

Description

Along the northern border with China runs the Yalu River and the Tumen River. In between the rivers, and the source of both, is Paektu Mountain, revered by both the Koreans and Manchurians as the mythic origin of each people. The North Korean government claims that Kim Jong-il was born there when his parents were at a Communist anti-Japanese resistance camp at the mountain. The North Korean-Chinese border for 32 kilometres (20 mi) east of the mountain is "dry, remote and mountainous, barely patrolled," making it one of the crossing areas for refugees from North Korea into China, although most, including refugees from Ryanggang itself, prefer to cross over the Tumen River.^[3]

Although all of North Korea is economically depressed after Soviet dissolution, Ryanggang province, along with neighboring North Hamgyong and South Hamgyong provinces, are the poorest, forming North Korea's "Rust Belt" of industrialized cities with factories now decrepit and failing. The worst hunger of the 1990s famine years occurred in these three provinces, and most refugees into China come from the Rust Belt region.^[3]

Ryanggang explosion

Main article: Ryanggang explosion

An explosion and mushroom cloud was reportedly detected in Kimhyŏngjik-gun on 9 September 2004, the 56th anniversary of the creation of North Korea. This was reported a few days later on 12 September.

Power supply issues

In recent years, power supply problems have become prevalent in Ryanggang.^{[citation needed]}

Administrative divisions

Ryanggang is divided into 2 cities (si) and 10 counties (kun). Each entity is listed below in English, Chosŏn'gŭl, and Hanja.

Image	Name	Chosongul	Hanja	Population (2008)[4]	Subdivisions
City
	Hyesan (capital)	혜산시	惠山市	192,680	25 dong, 4 ri
	Samjiyon	삼지연시	三池淵市	31,471	10 dong, 6 ri
County
	Kapsan County	갑산군	甲山郡	70,611	1 up, 4 rodongjagu, 20 ri
	Kimhyonggwon County	김형권군	金亨權郡	37,528	1 up, 1 rodongjagu, 17 ri
	Kimhyongjik County	김형직군	金亨稷郡	57,729	1 up, 6 rodongjagu, 9 ri
	Kimjongsuk County	김정숙군	金貞淑郡	42,618	1 up, 2 rodongjagu, 22 ri
	Paegam County	백암군	白岩郡	67,683	1 up, 19 rodongjagu, 4 ri
	Pochon County	보천군	普天郡	37,225	1 up, 2 rodongjagu, 17 ri
	Pungso County	풍서군	豊西郡	44,112	1 up, 3 rodongjagu, 17 ri
	Samsu County	삼수군	三水郡	40,311	1 up, 1 rodongjagu, 23 ri
	Taehongdan County	대홍단군	大紅湍郡	35,596	1 up, 9 rodongjagu
	Unhung County	운흥군	雲興郡	61,705	1 up, 10 rodongjagu, 10 ri

References

1. "Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership" (PDF). Seoul: Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification. January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
2. "KCNA | Article | Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Efficient Tractors to Cities and Counties of Ryanggang Province". Korean Central News Agency. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
3. Onishi, Norimitsu (22 October 2006). "Tension, Desperation: The China-North Korean Border". New York Times. The information cited in this footnote comes from the captions to the large illustrated map published with the newspaper article and available online with it.
4. "DPR Korea 2008 Population Census: National Report" (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2020.

External links

• 행정 구역 현황 (Haengjeong Guyeok Hyeonhwang) (in Korean only)