North Korea's Cities
Industrial Facilities, Internal Structures and Typification

AUTHOR : Dormels Rainer
ISBN : 9788962971675
PUBLISHER : 지문당
PUBLICATION DATE : June 30 ,2014,
SPINE SIZE : 0 inches
PAGES : 544
SIZE : 7.5 * 10.2 inches
WEIGHT : 0 pounds
CATON QTY : 10
PRICE : $75.00
The present study deals with the cities of North Korea and approaches the research topic from three different angles. One of the angles is of a qualitative nature and the remaining two are quantitative. The first approach deals with the facilities of the cities, especially with industrial plants. Therefore five sources have been investigated separately. The second methodological approach was used to study the structure of the cities of North Korea. The analysis of the data on transformation in the administrative divisions within the cities, answers to questions about the extension or reduction of the urban area and the development of centers within the city. This publication offers information about the 27 North Korean citieswhich either has a useful relevance for the typification of the cities and the elaboration of specific characteristics or can be used for the interpretation and explanation of the results of the quantitative research approaches of the present study. The presentation of the results is divided into two parts. First, the results with regard to interrelations between the cities (population shares, numbers of factories, etc.) are presented. Secondly, each of the 27 cities will be granted a separate chapter, where results are presented from all three approaches. In an appendix (in Korean) all the relevant names concerning North Korean industrial companies units are listed.


Dormels Rainer

Rainer Dormels, born in 1957, studied Geography and Theology in Cologne and Korean Linguistics at the Seoul National University. He holds a Ph.D. in Korean Studies from the University of Hamburg, and his habilitationsschrift on the political culture and recruitment of ministers in South Korea was successfully submitted at Bochum’s Ruhr University Bochum. In 2003 he was appointed Professor of Korean Studies at the Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies at the University of Vienna. He has authored numerous publications and studies on Korea.

Acknowledgements / iii



I. Introduction

1. Overview of topics, objectives and methods 1

2. Previous research and sources about the cities of North Korea 3

3. Basic information on provinces and cities in North Korea 6

3.1. Changes in the boundaries of the provinces 6

3.2. Formation, development and resolution of the province independent cities 9

3.3. Backgrounds of the administrative transformations 10



II. North Korean cities

1. The location of North Korean cities and their physical-geographical factors 13

2. Distance from the capital 15

3. The development of the modern Korean city network 17

3.1. Phase 1: The colonial urban system (1910-1945) 17

3.2. Phase 2: The development of inland cities (1945-1967) 18

3.3. Phase 3: Development of the capital region around Pyongyang (1969-1990) 19

3.4. Phase 4: Creation of cities in the periphery as a regional balance (1991-2001) 19

4. Classification according to population, area size, and shares in “urban” population 20



III. Industrial companies in the cities

1. Introductory remarks 31

1.1. Special features of the sources 31

1.2. Approach of presenting the results of research to the industrial companies in the cities 34

1.3. Research limitations and possible sources of error 36

2. KOFC (2010) 37

2.1. Total number of companies 37

2.2. Total number of companies in relation to population 40

2.3. Important companies 42

2.4. Industries 43

2.5. Conclusion 46

3. MOU (Who’s who in North Korean important institutions and organizations 2012) 46

3.1. Total number of companies 46

3.2. Total number of companies in relation to population 48

3.3. Important companies 49

3.4. Industries 51

3.5. Conclusion 53

4. IPA (Encyclopedia of North Korean Geography and Culture) (2003) 53

4.1. Total number of companies 53

4.2. Total number of companies in relation to population 55

4.3. Important companies 57

4.4. Industries 59

4.5. Culture 62

4.6. Conclusions 64

5. KCNA (1998-2011) 64

5.1. Total number of companies 64

5.2. Total number of companies in relation to population 66

5.3. Important companies 68

5.4. Industries 68

5.5. Conclusion 70

6. KIET (Yi Sang-chik, Choe Sin-rim, Yi S????k-ki 1996) 70

6.1. Total number of companies 70

6.2. Total number of companies in relation to population 72

6.3. Important companies 73

6.4. Industries 76

6.5. Conclusion 80

7. Overall view 80

7.1. Total number of companies 80

7.2. Total number of companies in relation to population 82

7.3. Important companies 85

7.4. Industries 87

7.5. Results 88



IV. Profiles of the cities of DPR Korea

1. Methodological Remarks 91

2. The Profiles of the 27 cities of DPR Korea 94

2.1. Kanggye 94

2.2. Huichon 104

2.3. Manpho 111

2.4. Sinuiju 119

2.5. Kusong 137

2.6. Jongju 143

2.7. Phyongsong 151

2.8. Anju 160

2.9. Kaechon 169

2.10. Tokchon 178

2.11. Sunchon 184

2.12. Pyongyang 191

2.13. Nampho 228

2.14. Sariwon 247

2.15. Songrim 258

2.16. Kaesong 266

2.17. Haeju 274

2.18. Hyesan 283

2.19. Rason 293

2.20. Chongjin 302

2.21. Hoeryong 317

2.22. Kimchaek 325

2.23. Hamhung 333

2.24. Tanchon 349

2.25. Sinpho 359

2.26. Wonsan 365

2.27. Munchon 376



V. Conclusion

1. The cities of North Korea - historical and socio-spatial aspects 383

2. Evaluation of the quantitative studies of the number of industrial companies 387

2.1. Industrial structure of North Korean cities 387

2.2. Different production capacity in the industrial sectors in North Korea 390

3. Evaluation of the quantitative studies of the internal structure of the cities 391

3.1. Centers and sub-centers of the cities 391

3.2. Disappearance of dong 393

3.3. The emergence of new dong 395

3.4. Phases of the development of urbanization in the DPR Korea 396

3.5. Changes in the “urban” population over time 397

4. Regional development trends in the DPR Korea 399



Bibliography / 401



Appendix 1. Profiles of the 27 cities of DPR Korea (Contents) / 415

Appendix 2. List of industrial companies in DPR Korea (in Korean) / 421