Taedong River

{{Infobox river

| name = Taedong River

| image =Taedong map.png

| image_caption = Map of the Taedong River

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 6

| source1_location = Rangrim Mountains, South Hamgyong

| mouth_location = West Korea Bay

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = North Korea

| length = {{convert|439|km|mi|sp=us}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/580155/Taedong-River#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Taedong%20River%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia|title=Encyclopædia Britannica Online : Taedong River|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica}}

| source1_elevation =

| discharge1_avg =

| basin_size = {{convert|20,344|km2|abbr=on}}

| extra =

}}

{{Infobox Korean name

|context=north

|hangul=대동강

|hanja=大同江

|mr=Taedonggang

|rr=Daedonggang

}}

The Taedong River ({{Korean|hangul=대동강}}){{efn|In the 19th century, the Taedong was spelled Tai-tang in Western texts (the "Tai-tang River" or "Tai-tang Kang").{{sfnp|EB|1878|p=390}}}} 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 {{convert|439|km|mi|abbr=off}} 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.{{Citation needed|date=May 2007}} 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 ({{Korean|패수|浿水||P’aesu|labels = no}}).(1973) Transactions of the Korea branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. vol. 48, [https://books.google.com/books?id=tG2FAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22Pae+River%22 page 59]

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.{{cite book|editor1-last=Rubin|editor1-first=Cyma|editor2-last=Newton|editor2-first=Eric|title=The Pulitzer Prize Photographs|publisher=Newseum Inc.|isbn=978-0-9799521-3-5}} Max Desfor's photograph of the event, Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea, would win the 1951 Pulitzer Prize in Photography.{{Cite web |date=1951 |title=Max Desfor of Associated Press |url=https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/max-desfor |access-date=2020-11-25 |website=pulitzer.org |language=en}}

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.Tenenbaum, David J. (2005) "International Health: North Korean Catastrophe" Environmental Health Perspectives 113(1): p. A26, page A26 Other dams, such as the Nyongwon Power Station, have been built to provide energy to the country.[https://www.kcckp.net/en/periodic/todaykorea/index.php?contents+4772+2009-10+132+8 (209) Korea Today No. 640]{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In Pyongyang, there are six bridges on the Taedong, including the Okryu Bridge, Rungra Bridge, and Taedong Bridge.{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.encyber.com/search_w/ctdetail.php?masterno=851310&contentno=851310|chapter=옥류교 {{bracket|Okryu Bridge}}|title=Doosan Encyclopedia|access-date=2010-07-02}}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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 {{USS|Pueblo|AGER-2|6}} 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=

{{citation |first=Hugh Alexander |last=Webster |display-authors=0 |contribution=Corea |title=Encyclopædia Britannica|edition=9th|volume=VI|editor-last=Baynes |editor-first=Thomas Spencer |display-editors=0 |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |location=New York |date=1878 |ref={{harvid|EB|1878}} |pages=390–394 }}.