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Kaesong (Gaeseong) is a city in North Hwanghae
North Hwanghae

North Hwanghae is a Administrative divisions of North Korea of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae....
 Province, southern North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
 (DPRK), a former Directly Governed City
Special cities of Korea

In North Korea and South Korea, Special Cities, Metropolitan Cities, and Directly Governed Cities are cities that have a status equivalent to that of Provinces of Korea ....
, and the capital of Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
 during the Koryo Dynasty
Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty was a sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo of Goryeo. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392....
. The city is near Kaesong Industrial Region
Kaesong Industrial Region

Kaesong Industrial Region is a Administrative divisions of North Korea industrial region of North Korea. It was formed in 2002 from part of Kaesong....
 and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace.

Yi Songgye overthrew the Koryo Dynasty in 1392 and established the Choson Dynasty, he moved the Korean capital from Kaesong to Hanyang (modern-day Seoul
Seoul

Seoul is the Capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, It is one of the world's List of cities proper by population.The Seoul National Capital Area - which includes the major port city of Incheon and satellite towns in Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million inhabitants and is the world's second largest List of me...
). Kaesong remained a part of Kyonggi Province until the Korean War
Korean War

The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korea and South Korea regimes, with major hostilities lasting from June 25, 1950 until the armistice signed on July 27, 1953....
.






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Kaesong (Gaeseong) is a city in North Hwanghae
North Hwanghae

North Hwanghae is a Administrative divisions of North Korea of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae....
 Province, southern North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
 (DPRK), a former Directly Governed City
Special cities of Korea

In North Korea and South Korea, Special Cities, Metropolitan Cities, and Directly Governed Cities are cities that have a status equivalent to that of Provinces of Korea ....
, and the capital of Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
 during the Koryo Dynasty
Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty was a sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo of Goryeo. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392....
. The city is near Kaesong Industrial Region
Kaesong Industrial Region

Kaesong Industrial Region is a Administrative divisions of North Korea industrial region of North Korea. It was formed in 2002 from part of Kaesong....
 and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace.

History

When Yi Songgye overthrew the Koryo Dynasty in 1392 and established the Choson Dynasty, he moved the Korean capital from Kaesong to Hanyang (modern-day Seoul
Seoul

Seoul is the Capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, It is one of the world's List of cities proper by population.The Seoul National Capital Area - which includes the major port city of Incheon and satellite towns in Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million inhabitants and is the world's second largest List of me...
). Kaesong remained a part of Kyonggi Province until the Korean War
Korean War

The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korea and South Korea regimes, with major hostilities lasting from June 25, 1950 until the armistice signed on July 27, 1953....
. In 1951, the city (which had been part of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
) came under North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
n control, and the part of Kyonggi Province that came to be occupied was organized into "Kaesong Region" (Kaesong Chigu; ?? ??; ?? ??). In 1955, Kaesong became a "Directly Governed City" (Kaesong Chikhalsi; ?? ???; ?? ???). In 2002, Kaesong Industrial Region
Kaesong Industrial Region

Kaesong Industrial Region is a Administrative divisions of North Korea industrial region of North Korea. It was formed in 2002 from part of Kaesong....
 was formed from part of Kaesong. In 2003, the remaining part of Kaesong (excluding the Industrial Region) became part of North Hwanghae
North Hwanghae

North Hwanghae is a Administrative divisions of North Korea of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae....
 Province.

The city is close to the Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone

The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea Korea....
 that divides North and South Korea. When Korea was partitioned at the 38th parallel
38th parallel north

The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degree true north of the Earth equator. The 38th parallel north has been especially important in the recent history of Korea....
 after World War Two, Kaesong was on the southern side of the line (within the Republic of Korea). Thus Kaesong is the only city to change control after the Korean War.

Former administrative divisions

Before 2002, Kaesong Directly Governed City was divided into one city (Kaesong itself) and three counties.
  • Kaesong-si (???, ???)
  • Changp'ung-gun (???; ???)
  • Kaep'ung-gun (???; ???)
  • P'anmun-gun (???; ???)


In 2003, P'anmun-gun and part of Kaesong-si were separated from Kaesong Directly Governed City and merged to form Kaesong Industrial Region
Kaesong Industrial Region

Kaesong Industrial Region is a Administrative divisions of North Korea industrial region of North Korea. It was formed in 2002 from part of Kaesong....
. The remaining part of Kaesong joined North Hwanghae
North Hwanghae

North Hwanghae is a Administrative divisions of North Korea of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae....
 in 2002.

It was formally named Songdo while it was the ancient capital of Koryo. It prospered as a trade center that produced Korean ginseng
Ginseng

Ginseng refers to species within Panax, a genus of 11 species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, in the family Araliaceae....
, which is famous internationally. It is now the DPRK's light industry centre.

Geography

Located in central Korea, along with Kyonggi Province, North Hwanghae Province, South Hwanghae Province and Kangwon Province. Kanghwa Island of Inchon Municipality lies just south, beyond a narrow channel. It covers an area of 1,309 km², the urban district is surrounded by Mountain Songak (489m) and Mountain Pongmyong.

Economy

Kaesong is DPRK’s light industry centre. The urban district is equipped with a jewel
Jewellery

Jewellery is an item of personal adornment, such as a necklace, ring , brooch or bracelet, that is worn by a person. It may be made from gemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols....
 processing factory, ginseng processing factory and an embroidery
Embroidery

File:Kazakh rug chain stitch embroidery.jpgEmbroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating Textile or other materials with sewing needle and yarn....
 factory.

Transportation

Kaesong is connected to Pyongyang and other cities by rail, highways and a dual purpose military and civilian air station.

Culture

Koryo Songgyungwan University
Koryo Songgyungwan University

Koryo Songgyungwan University or University of Light Industry is an educational institution in North Korean city of Kaesong. The university was founded in 992 with the name Gukjagam....
 (Light Industry), Communist University and Art College are located in Kaesong. Kaesong history museum has a lot of Koryo arts and cultural relics including Chomsongdae, Manwol Pavilion, Kaesong Nam Gate, Anhwa Temple, the Tomb of King Wanggon and the Tomb of King Kongmin. The suburbs have vestiges of the palaces of the previous royal dynasties. Twenty-four km north of Kaesong is the Pagyon Falls and Taehung Castle.

External links

  • , (North Korea Google Earth) see most of Kaesong's political, economic, cultural, and industrial infrastructure on Google Earth.