| Taedong River | |
|---|---|
 Map of the Taedong River | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | North Korea |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Rangrim Mountains,South Hamgyong |
| Mouth | |
• location | West Korea Bay |
| Length | 439 km (273 mi)[1] |
| Basin size | 20,344 km2 (7,855 sq mi) |
| Taedong River | |
| Hangul | 대동강 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 大同江 |
| RR | Daedonggang |
| MR | Taedonggang |
TheTaedong River (Korean: 대동강)[a] is a large river inNorth Korea. The river rises in theRangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest intoKorea Bay atNamp'o.[3] In between, it runs through the country's capital,Pyongyang. Along theriver are landmarks such as theJuche Tower andKim Il-sung Square.
The river is 439 kilometres (273 miles) in length, and is generally deep. It is the fifth-longest river on theKorean peninsula and the second-longest in North Korea.Pyongyang is approximately 110 km upstream from the mouth,Sunchon 192 km upstream, andTaehŭng 414 km upstream.[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 atSongrim.
The kingdom ofKoguryo was founded on its shores. Many archeological sites dating to theNeolithic andBronze Age have been found along the river, as well as relics and ruins from Koguryo. It was also once known as the Pae River (패수;浿水;P’aesu).[4]
In 1954, a bridge going over the Taedong River was partially destroyed during theKorean War. Despite the damage to the bridge, several hundred Koreans used it to cross the Taedong and flee south.[5]Max Desfor's photograph of the event,Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea, would win the1951 Pulitzer Prize inPhotography.[6]
In 1986, the government completed the 8-km-longWest Sea Barrage, with three locks and 36sluices, at the mouth of the Taedong River near Namp'o.[3] The dam acts to control floodwater and to irrigate lands newly reclaimed from the Korea Gulf.[3] The dam prevents mixing of the outgoing river water with seawater, leading to an increase of contaminants concentration.[7] Other dams, such as theNyongwon Power Station, have been built to provide energy to the country.[8]
In Pyongyang, there are six bridges on the Taedong, including theOkryu Bridge,Rungra Bridge, andTaedong Bridge.[9]
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38°51′54″N125°31′32″E / 38.86500°N 125.52556°E /38.86500; 125.52556
