Ryanggang Province (Ryanggangdo; , ) 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 "Yanggang" (, ).
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 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. 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.
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.
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.
Administrative divisions Ryanggang is divided into 2 cities (si) and 10 counties (kun). Each entity is listed below in English, Chosŏn'gŭl, and Hanja. ImageNameChosongulHanjaPopulation(2008)SubdivisionsCityHyesan (capital)혜산시惠山市192,68025 dong, 4 riSamjiyon삼지연시三池淵市31,47110 dong, 6 riCountyKapsan County갑산군甲山郡70,6111 up, 4 rodongjagu, 20 riKimhyonggwon County김형권군金亨權郡37,5281 up, 1 rodongjagu, 17 riKimhyongjik County김형직군金亨稷郡57,7291 up, 6 rodongjagu, 9 riKimjongsuk County김정숙군金貞淑郡42,6181 up, 2 rodongjagu, 22 riPaegam County백암군白岩郡67,6831 up, 19 rodongjagu, 4 riPochon County보천군普天郡37,2251 up, 2 rodongjagu, 17 riPungso County풍서군豊西郡44,1121 up, 3 rodongjagu, 17 riSamsu County삼수군三水郡40,3111 up, 1 rodongjagu, 23 riTaehongdan County대홍단군大紅湍郡35,5961 up, 9 rodongjaguUnhung County운흥군雲興郡61,7051 up, 10 rodongjagu, 10 ri
References
External links
행정 구역 현황 (Haengjeong Guyeok Hyeonhwang) (in Korean only)