Nampo

Nampo, also spelled Namp'o, is a major city in North Korea. It is the country's fourth-largest city by population. Located on the northern shore of the Taedong River estuary, about 15 km east of where the river meets the sea, Nampo is an important seaport.

Previously known as Chinnamp'o, the city held special administrative status from 1980 to 2004 and again became a "Special City" in 2010. It lies roughly 50 km southwest of the capital, Pyongyang.

Since North Korea became independent, Nampo has grown with many different industries and has seen new development in recent years.

History

Before formation of North Korea

The city was part of Gojoseon until it was taken by Goguryeo during the Three Kingdoms era. Later, during the Goryeo dynasty, the area was split into several parts, including areas that are now part of Nampo. After the Joseon dynasty began, the area belonged to Pyongan Province.

The city's name comes from a small fishing village. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, the name was changed, but it returned to Nampo after Korea was freed from Japanese control.

After formation of North Korea

Nampo was founded in 1950. Over the years, its areas and organization changed several times. In 2004, Nampo was no longer a special city but became part of South Pyongan Province. Later, in 2010, it became a special city again and grew to be one of the largest in North Korea.

In 2020, many buildings in Nampo were redesigned to have a seaside look, mostly in blue, orange, and brown colors. Improvements were also made to electricity, water, and public transportation.

Economy

Nampo started as a small fishing village. In 1897, it became a port for foreign trade and grew into a modern port after World War II. The city has many important industries, including a Smelter Complex, Glass Corporation, Shipbuilding complex, Fishery Complex, and other factories. Nampo is a key center for shipbuilding in North Korea. North of the city, there are facilities for moving goods, fishing, and making sea salt. Apples from the Ryonggang county are a well-known local product.

In May 1981, Kim Il Sung made plans for the city with three main goals: to become an international port, to increase exports and become the largest trading port in North Korea, and to grow into the biggest industrial area in western North Korea, focusing on heavy industry.

The city is located on the Taedong River, which makes it great for farming. Land reclamation along the river is used for rice growing. After North Korea was founded, farming and fishing improved a lot. Most of the land is used for growing grains, with some for vegetables. There are also farms for livestock and fishing on the west coast.

The main hospital in Nampo is the Nampho City People's Hospital, which was rebuilt in 2020 to improve medical services. It has a telemedicine link to hospitals in Pyongyang. Other hospitals in the city include the Nampho City Koryo Medicine Hospital, Nampho City Maternity Hospital, and the Waudo District People's Hospital.

Before North Korea was founded, Nampo’s industry focused on supporting military needs for Japan. Industries were centered around Waudo-guyok and Hunggu-guyok districts. Since then, Nampo has grown strongly, with some industries moved to areas between Nampo and Pyongyang, like Chollima-guyok, Kangso-guyok, and Taean-guyok.

The Nampo Smelting Complex makes copper products and also processes zinc and lead. Other key industries include the Chollima Steel Complex, Taean Friendship Glass Factory, Kumsong Tractor Factory, and Taean Heavy Machine Complex. While there is some light industry, most big companies focus on heavy industry.

Nampo’s location has attracted foreign investment. For example, Pyeonghwa Motors, a joint venture between the Unification Church and the North Korean government, built cars from kits, mainly using Chinese cars and Fiats.

Administrative divisions

Nampo is divided into 5 areas called guyŏk* and 2 areas called gun*. These areas are further split into smaller parts named dong and ri.

Demographics

According to the 2008 North Korea Census, the city of Nampo had a population of 366,815 people. Out of these, 310,864 people lived in urban areas, and 55,951 people lived in rural areas.

Environment

Nampo is found on the west coast of Korea and is mostly flat, with about 82% of the city sitting below 50 metres tall. Some mountains are in the south and east parts of the city, but they are not very high, usually less than 100 metres above sea level. The tallest points are in the Osok mountain range, where Osok-san reaches 566 metres and Guksabong reaches 506 metres. Many rivers and streams flow through the area, making it good for growing crops. Underneath the ground, there are important metals such as iron, manganese, titanium, as well as gold and silver.

Many birds visit Nampo, too. About 5,000 birds come to the Kumsong tideland, and around 76,000 waterbirds visit a lake made by the West Sea Barrage. Some of these birds are rare and need special care to stay safe.

Transportation

Road

The Youth Hero Motorway, finished in October 2000, links Nampo to Pyongyang. This road was named to honor the young people who helped build it.

Public transport

Nampo has a trolleybus system that started around 1982. It has a main route from Nampo Stadium to the northeast part of the city and a branch to the west near the salt pans. The branch was not in good condition and was not used much after 2011. Service improved again in August 2021 after city officials worked to fix the buses and bring them back into use.

In November 2015, Nampo tested a solar-powered electric bus. This bus uses solar panels to charge batteries and can carry up to 140 passengers at a speed of 40 km/h. It was part of efforts to solve energy problems in North Korea.

Air

The only airport in Nampo is the military Onch'ŏn Air Base in Onch'ŏn-gun.

Rail

The first railway in Korea was built in 1895, connecting Pyongyang and Chinnampo. It was a short line with small cars pulled by people, but it was taken apart soon after it started.

The Nampo area has many railway stations, including those on the P'yŏngnam Line, Ryonggang, Sŏhaekammun, Posan, Nampohang, and Taean lines. Some branches from the Pyongnam line serve factories in Nampo.

Water

River

Because Nampo is on the Taedong River, river travel is important. Passenger ships go from Nampo Port to Sohae-ri, Songrim, Unchon County, and Pyongyang. Cruise ships travel between Waudo and the West Sea Barrage, and between Waudo and Mangyongdae.

Sea

The West Sea Barrage at Nampo Port has three lock chambers that let ships up to 50,000 tons pass through. Nampo Harbour is often where foreign food aid arrives in North Korea. The port has modern facilities for ships up to 20,000 tonnes, but it freezes in winter. Nampo acts as Pyongyang’s port on the Yellow Sea. Unlike most ports, goods are taken off ships and moved by trucks, while the empty containers stay at the port until they are needed to send goods out.

In 2008, the harbour received several shipments of grain; the first, sent by the United States in June, weighed 38,000 tons. A South Korean group also donated about 500 tons of flour in October that year.

Vehicle ships carry trucks between Nampo port and South Hwanghae Province through the West Sea Barrage, saving time and fuel compared to driving a longer route.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was much less traffic at the Nampo Coal Port. In 2020, two tanks for storing petroleum or oil were built after their bases were finished in 2016, while other tank bases remained unused. Construction also began on a new oil terminal with an offshore wharf. Walls made from shipping containers were built to mark paths to warehouses and divide the port into storage areas, possibly related to the pandemic. The port mainly trades concrete and coal.

Culture

Education

Nampo has several places for higher learning, such as Nampo University, Sŏhae University, and Samgwang College, among others.

Historical relics

Some important old tombs from the Koguryo time are near Nampo in Ryonggang County. These tombs help us learn about life and buildings from long ago. Although many paintings on the walls have faded, some pictures and a map are still there.

Archaeologists found a very old stone statue from the Koryo Dynasty near Kim Il Sung University. This statue was added to a list of important treasures in 2019. With the statue, they also found old items like iron arrowheads, metal money, and pottery. The statue is thought to show the Buddha holding a small container in both hands.

The Hwangnyong Fortress was built a long time ago to protect Pyongyang from people coming from the southwest. The hills around it were used to watch for danger in peaceful times and could be used as important spots during battles.

There are also three old tombs in Nampo from the Goguryeo dynasty.

Notable people from Nampo

Nampo is the home city of several well-known individuals. One is No Kwang-chol, a North Korean general and politician who was part of the Workers' Party of Korea. Another is Kim Kil-hak, a composer who earned the title of People's Artist.

Sister cities

Nampo has several sister cities around the world. These include Saint Petersburg in Russia, Chiautempan in Mexico, Loja, Ecuador, and Lisbon in Portugal.

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List of cities in North Korea

Geography of North Korea