Taedong (river)

The Taedong River () 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.Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthening the Soviet Connection" ''Asian Survey'' 27(1): pp. 56-63, page 62 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 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. 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.

History

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 ().

Dams and bridges

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. Max Desfor's photograph of the event, ''Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea'', would win the 1951 Pulitzer Prize in Photography.

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. The dam acts to control floodwater and to irrigate lands newly reclaimed from the Korea Gulf. The dam prevents mixing of the outgoing river water with seawater, leading to an increase of contaminants concentration. Other dams, such as the Nyongwon Power Station, have been built to provide energy to the country.(209) ''Korea Today'' No. 640
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In Pyongyang, there are six bridges on the Taedong, including the Okryu Bridge, Rungra Bridge, and Taedong Bridge.

Gallery

File:Taedong_River,_Pyongyang,_from_the_Juche_Tower.jpg, Yanggakdo Island in the middle of the river in Pyongyang
File:Pyongyang DPR Korea2b.jpg, The Taedong River flowing through Pyongyang
Image:Taedong_river_1889.jpeg, An image of the Taedong River from 1889
Image:North Korea-Pyongyang-01.jpg, The Taedong in Pyongyang
Image:Taedonggang-guyŏk (Pyongyang).jpg, Another view of the river through Pyongyang
Image:North Korea-Pyongyang-Grand Peoples Study House-01.jpg, The Grand People's Study House on the bank of the river
File:Juche Tower from the other side of Taedong river.jpg, Juche Tower
File:2016-10-15 Mansudae Grand Monument.jpg, Mansudae Grand Monument
File:0783 - Nordkorea 2015 - Pjöngjang - Monument der Arbeiterpartei (22578650129).jpg, Monument to Party Founding
File:USS Pueblo (AGER-2) 01.JPG, Monument to the ''General Sherman'' incident
File:USS Pueblo 1.JPG, The captured vessel moored on the Taedong (now tied up on the Botong River beside the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum)
File:Nampho1.jpg, The Taedong River in Nampo
File:Nampho2.jpg, The river in Nampo

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

* .

See also

* Taedong River estuary Important Bird Area
*Taedonggang, a beer named after the river
* Rivers of Asia
*Rivers of Korea
*Geography of North Korea

{{coord, 38, 51, 54, N, 125, 31, 32, E, type:waterbody_source:kolossus-dawiki, display=title

Rivers of North Korea
Geography of Pyongyang
South Pyongan