Rason

{{About|the North Korean city|the Australian politician|Hector Rason|his ministry|Rason Ministry}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Rason

| native_name = {{nobold|라선시}}

| native_name_lang = ko

|settlement_type = Special city

|official_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ko|라선특별시}}}}{{·}} Rason Special City

|image_seal =

|translit_lang1 = Korean

|translit_lang1_type = Chosŏn'gŭl

|translit_lang1_info = {{lang|ko|라선특별시}}

|translit_lang1_type1 = Hancha

|translit_lang1_info1 = {{lang|ko|{{linktext|羅|先|特|別|市}}}}

|translit_lang1_type2 = {{nowrap|McCune-Reischauer}}

|translit_lang1_info2 = Rasŏn T'ŭkpyŏlsi

|translit_lang1_type3 = {{nowrap|Revised Romanization}}

|translit_lang1_info3 = Raseon Teukbyeolsi

|image_skyline = Rason montage.png

|imagesize =

|image_caption = Bipaseom Island (top), Imperial Hotel and Casino (bottom left), Rason Hotel (bottom right)

|image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8}}

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|image_map1 = Rason Map 2020.png

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|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = {{flag|North Korea}}

|subdivision_type1 = Region

|subdivision_name1 = Kwanbuk

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| leader_party = WPK

| leader_title = Party Committee Chairman

| leader_name = Rim Kyong-man{{Cite web|title=Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership

|location=Seoul|publisher=Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification |date=January 2018|access-date=17 October 2018|url=https://www.unikorea.go.kr/cms/getFile.do?file=2018012913454378143.pdf&orgname=north_korean_Leadership.pdf&mgmtId=MGMT_0000000754&siteId=SITE_00003&filePath=eng_unikorea/common/file/&count=Y#.pdf}}

| leader_title2 = People's Committee Chairman

| leader_name2 = Cho Chong-ho

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|area_total_km2 = 746

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|elevation_m = 27

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|population_as_of = 2019

| population_footnotes = {{ cite web | url=http://wb.jl.gov.cn/yhcs_85472/201910/t20191018_6115233.html | language=zh | title=朝鲜罗先市 | date=October 18, 2019 | access-date=May 25, 2020 }}

|population_note =

|population_total = 205000

|population_density_km2 = 275

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|population_blank1_title = Dialect

|population_blank1 = Hamgyŏng

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|timezone = Pyongyang Time

|utc_offset = +9

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|blank_name = ISO Code

|blank_info = KP-13

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}}

Rason (formerly Rajin-Sŏnbong; {{IPA|ko|ɾa.sʌ̹n, ɾa.dʑin.sʰʌ̹n.boŋ}}) is a North Korean special city and ice-free port{{cite web|title=Report on Rason Special Economic Zone|url=http://chosonexchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Choson-Exchange-Rason-Report-August.pdf|publisher=Choson Exchange|access-date=9 December 2012|author=Andray Abrahamian|date=September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417055346/http://chosonexchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Choson-Exchange-Rason-Report-August.pdf|archive-date=17 April 2012}} in the Sea of Japan in the North Pacific Ocean on the northeast tip of North Korea. It is in the Kwanbuk region and location of the Rason Special Economic Zone.

In South Korean pronunciation, the initial "R" of the name is pronounced as "N", (나선, Naseon) as per standard Korean phonology. In 2000, the name was shortened from "Rajin-Sŏnbong" to "Rason". During the 1930s, the Japanese called it Rashin; at that time, it was an important port at the end of a railroad line. It fell under the control of the Red Army on 14 August 1945.

Before 1991, Rason was used by the Soviet Union as an alternative warm-water port in case Vladivostok was unavailable.{{cite journal |title=The Soviet Union and Asia in 1981|first=Thomas W.|last=Robinson|journal=Asian Survey|volume=22|number=1|pages=20 |series=A Survey of Asia in 1981: Part I |date=January 1982 |doi=10.2307/2643707 |jstor=2643707 }} The Soviet naval facilities were built starting in 1979.{{Cite book |editor1-first=H. V. |editor1-last=Hodson |editor1-link=Harry Hodson |editor2-first=Bishakha |editor2-last=Rose |date=1980 |title=The Annual Register of World Events 1979 |title-link=The Annual Register |series=221 |publisher=Longmans Group Limited |location=UK |pages=104, 314 |isbn=0-8103-2023-1}} From 1993 to 2004, it was administered separately from North Hamgyŏng as the directly governed city (chikhalsi) of Rason. Prior to 1993 and from 2004 to 2009, the city had been part of the North Hamgyŏng Province. Since 2010, the city is a "special city", again breaking from provincial control, but different from its older designation as a directly governed city.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&num=5866 |title=Rasun Becomes Special City |publisher=Daily NK |date=5 January 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322233911/http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&num=5866 |archive-date=22 March 2012}} What this means in practice is unclear.

Rason borders Hunchun county in Jilin province of China and Khasansky District in Primorsky Krai of Russia. China is making investments in the port as it gives it access to the Sea of Japan.{{cite news |url=http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=36164&tx_ttnews[backPid]=7&cHash=e8c061fdac |title=Strategic Implications of China's Access to the Rajin Port |publisher=The Jamestown Foundation |date=18 March 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110228121511/http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news& |archive-date=28 February 2011}} In July 2011, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) gave a green light for China's domestic trade cargo to be shipped via its port of Rajin from northeast to east China.{{cite news |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2011-07/04/content_12831822.htm |title=DPRK allows China domestic trade cargo to ship via its port |work=China Daily |date=4 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819070755/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2011-07/04/content_12831822.htm |archive-date=19 August 2011}} Coal is shipped from nearby Chinese mines to Shanghai. A casino by the sea caters to Chinese visitors.{{cite news|last=Wong|first=Edward|title=Tending a Small Patch of Capitalism in North Korea|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/world/asia/north-koreans-woo-business-to-rason-economic-zone.html|access-date=13 October 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=12 October 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013084047/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/world/asia/north-koreans-woo-business-to-rason-economic-zone.html|archive-date=13 October 2011}}

File:Rason City.jpg