Taedong River
Template:Short description Template:Infobox river Template:Infobox Korean name
The Taedong River (Template:Korean)Template:Efn is a large river in North Korea. The river rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o.<ref name="Suh">Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthening the Soviet Connection" Asian Survey 27(1): pp. 56-63, page 62</ref> In between, it runs through the country's capital, Pyongyang. Along the river are landmarks such as the Juche Tower and Kim Il-sung Square.
The river is Template:Convert in length, and is generally deep. It is the fifth-longest river on the Korean peninsula and the second-longest in North Korea. Pyongyang is approximately 110 km upstream from the mouth, Sunchon 192 km upstream, and Taehŭng 414 km upstream.Template:Citation needed Because of its depth, it is widely used for river transport; it is navigable by large ships up to 65 km inland, although most commercial traffic stops at Songrim.
HistoryEdit
The kingdom of Koguryo was founded on its shores. Many archeological sites dating to the Neolithic and Bronze Age have been found along the river, as well as relics and ruins from Koguryo. It was also once known as the Pae River (Template:Korean).<ref>(1973) Transactions of the Korea branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. vol. 48, page 59</ref>
Dams and bridgesEdit
In 1954, a bridge going over the Taedong River was partially destroyed during the Korean War. Despite the damage to the bridge, several hundred Koreans used it to cross the Taedong and flee south.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Max Desfor's photograph of the event, Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea, would win the 1951 Pulitzer Prize in Photography.<ref name="Pulitzer">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1986, the government completed the 8-km-long West Sea Barrage, with three locks and 36 sluices, at the mouth of the Taedong River near Namp'o.<ref name="Suh"/> The dam acts to control floodwater and to irrigate lands newly reclaimed from the Korea Gulf.<ref name="Suh"/> The dam prevents mixing of the outgoing river water with seawater, leading to an increase of contaminants concentration.<ref>Tenenbaum, David J. (2005) "International Health: North Korean Catastrophe" Environmental Health Perspectives 113(1): p. A26, page A26</ref> Other dams, such as the Nyongwon Power Station, have been built to provide energy to the country.<ref>(209) Korea Today No. 640Template:Dead link</ref>
In Pyongyang, there are six bridges on the Taedong, including the Okryu Bridge, Rungra Bridge, and Taedong Bridge.<ref name="Encyber">Template:CitationTemplate:Dead link</ref>
GalleryEdit
- Taedong River, Pyongyang, from the Juche Tower.jpg
Yanggakdo Island in the middle of the river in Pyongyang
- Pyongyang DPR Korea2b.jpg
The Taedong River flowing through Pyongyang
- Taedong river 1889.jpeg
An image of the Taedong River from 1889
- North Korea-Pyongyang-01.jpg
The Taedong in Pyongyang
- Taedonggang-guyŏk (Pyongyang).jpg
Another view of the river through Pyongyang
- North Korea-Pyongyang-Grand Peoples Study House-01.jpg
The Grand People's Study House on the bank of the river
- Juche Tower from the other side of Taedong river.jpg
- 2016-10-15 Mansudae Grand Monument.jpg
- 0783 - Nordkorea 2015 - Pjöngjang - Monument der Arbeiterpartei (22578650129).jpg
- USS Pueblo (AGER-2) 01.JPG
Monument to the General Sherman incident
- USS Pueblo 1.JPG
The captured Template:USS vessel moored on the Taedong (now tied up on the Botong River beside the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum)
- Nampho1.jpg
The Taedong River in Nampo
- Nampho2.jpg
The river in Nampo
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
CitationsEdit
BibliographyEdit
See alsoEdit
Template:Sister project Template:Portal
- Taedong River estuary Important Bird Area
- Taedonggang, a beer named after the river
- Rivers of Asia
- Rivers of Korea
- Geography of North Korea