Kilchu
Encyclopedia
Kilju, sometimesromanized as Kilchu, is a county
in North Hamgyong province, North Korea
. The county seat is Kilju Town.
, who gave it its current name (meaning "province of good fortune"). After the ascension of Joseon Dynasty
, Kilju was promoted to county in 1398, and in 1509 the county was included in the newly-formed Hamgyong Province In 1895, during a reorganization of regional governments, Hamgyong was dissolved and replaced with several small departments; Kilju county was then annexed to the newly-formed Kyongsong Department. In 1896 however, the new organization was abandoned, with the departments re-organized into North and South Hamgyong provinces; Kilju was then placed into North Hamgyong, where it remains to this day. During the Japanese occupation, the county was used for manufacturing telecommunications equipment and electric insulation.
to the south, Hwasŏng and Ŏrang
to the north. To the west it borders Tanch'ŏn in South Hamgyŏng and Paegam
in Ryanggang.
Kilchu stands at the junction of the Hamgyŏng Mountains and the Maryŏng Mountains, and its northwestern region is mountainous.
founded during the Yi dynasty to teach the children of the rural Yangban
(scholar-aristocrats) who lived in the area. ) The Pukkwan Victory Monument, located in this county before the 1950s redistricting, is now located just across the border in what is now Kimchaek
city.
railway, which stops at Kilju Chongnyon Station and connects it to Pyongyang
and Rason. The city is also linked by road to Hamhung
and Chongjin
.
and 2009 North Korean nuclear test
were reported to have been held there. The Musudan-ri
missile facility is located in nearby Hwadae
county, and a separate Scud facility has been reported in the area.
Administrative divisions of North Korea
The administrative divisions of North Korea are organized into three hierarchical levels. Many of the units have equivalents in the system of South Korea. At the highest level are nine provinces, two directly governed cities, and three special administrative divisions. The second-level divisions...
in North Hamgyong province, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. The county seat is Kilju Town.
History
The area around Kilju was part of the ancient Goguryeo kingdom, and was long inhabited by various Jurchen tribes. In 1107 it was annexed by GoryeoGoryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. 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...
, who gave it its current name (meaning "province of good fortune"). After the ascension of Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, Kilju was promoted to county in 1398, and in 1509 the county was included in the newly-formed Hamgyong Province In 1895, during a reorganization of regional governments, Hamgyong was dissolved and replaced with several small departments; Kilju county was then annexed to the newly-formed Kyongsong Department. In 1896 however, the new organization was abandoned, with the departments re-organized into North and South Hamgyong provinces; Kilju was then placed into North Hamgyong, where it remains to this day. During the Japanese occupation, the county was used for manufacturing telecommunications equipment and electric insulation.
Geography
Kilchu is located in the southern part of North Hamgyong. It borders Myŏngch'ŏn on the east, Kimch'aek and HwadaeHwadae
Hwadae is a county in southern North Hamgyong province, North Korea, with an area of about 460 km² and a population of approximately 70,000. It adjoins the Sea of Japan on the east and south. By land, it adjoins Kimchaek and Kilchu to the west, and Myŏngch'ŏn to the north...
to the south, Hwasŏng and Ŏrang
Orang (North Korea)
Orang is a kun, or county, in North Hamgyong province, North Korea. It is situated on the coast of the Sea of Japan . Originally part of Kyongsong county, Orang was created in 1952 following the division of Korea.-Physical features:...
to the north. To the west it borders Tanch'ŏn in South Hamgyŏng and Paegam
Paegam
Paegam is a kun, or county, in Ryanggang province, North Korea. The terrain is mountainous, as Paegam lies atop the Paektu Plateau, site of Korea's highest mountains. The Hamgyong and Machonryong ranges pass through the county; the highest point is Kwesangbong. There are many streams; the chief...
in Ryanggang.
Kilchu stands at the junction of the Hamgyŏng Mountains and the Maryŏng Mountains, and its northwestern region is mountainous.
Culture
Tourist sites in Kilju include the former Kilju Magistrate's Hall, built in 1888 to house the office, and the Kilju Hyanggyo, one of the provincial schoolsHyanggyo
The Hyanggyo were government-run provincial schools established separately during the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty , but did not meet with widespread success in either dynasty...
founded during the Yi dynasty to teach the children of the rural Yangban
Yangban
The yangban were part of the traditional ruling class or nobles of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The yangban were either landed or unlanded aristocracy who comprised the Korean Confucian idea of a "scholarly official." In reality, they were basically administrators and bureaucrats who...
(scholar-aristocrats) who lived in the area. ) The Pukkwan Victory Monument, located in this county before the 1950s redistricting, is now located just across the border in what is now Kimchaek
Kimchaek
Kimch'aek, formerly Sŏngjin , is a city in North Hamgyong Province, North Korea. It has a population of 196,000...
city.
Transportation
In addition to its airport, the county is served by the Pyongra LinePyongra Line
The Pyongra Line is a railway line in North Korea, running from Pyongyang to Rajin....
railway, which stops at Kilju Chongnyon Station and connects it to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
and Rason. The city is also linked by road to Hamhung
Hamhung
Hamhŭng is North Korea's second largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. In late 2005, nearby Hŭngnam was made a ward within Hamhŭng-si. It has a population of 768,551 as of 2008.-Geography:...
and Chongjin
Chongjin
Ch'ŏngjin is the capital of North Korea's North Hamgyŏng Province and the country's third largest city. From 1960 to 1967 and again from 1977 to 1985, Ch'ŏngjin was administered separately from North Hamgyŏng as a Directly Governed City...
.
Administrative divisions
The county is divided into one town (ŭp), five worker's districts (rodongjagu), and 22 villages (ri).| Chosŏn'gŭl Hangul Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean... |
Hancha Hanja Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation... |
|
|---|---|---|
| Kilju Town | 길주읍 | |
| Chunam Worker's District | 주남노동자구 | |
| Ilsin Worker's District | 일신노동자구 | |
| Ryongdam Worker's District | 룡담노동자구 | |
| Yŏngbuk Worker's District | 영북노동자구 | |
| Yŏngnam Worker's District | 영남노동자구 | |
| Ch'ŏngam-ri | 청암리 | |
| Ch'unhŭng-ri | 춘흥리 | |
| Happ'o-ri | 합포리 | |
| Hongsu-ri | 홍수리 | |
| Kŭmch'ŏn-ri | 금천리 | |
| Kŭmsong-ri | 금송리 | |
| Moksŏng-ri | 목성리 | |
| Munam-ri | 문암리 | |
| Namyang-ri | 남양리 | |
| Onch'ŏn-ri | 온천리 | |
| Pongam-ri | 봉암리 | |
| P'unggye-ri | 풍계리 | |
| P'yŏngryuk-ri | 평륙리 | |
| Rimdong-ri | 림동리 | |
| Ryongsŏng-ri | 룡성리 | |
| Ryuch'ŏn-ri | 류천리 | |
| Sangha-ri | 상하리 | |
| Sindong-ri | 신동리 | |
| Sipil-ri | 십일리 | |
| Ssangryong-ri | 쌍룡리 | |
| T'apyang-ri | 탑양리 | |
| Tŏksin-ri | 덕신리 |
Military
A number of military facilities are known or believed to be located in Kilchu. These include the Hwadae-ri atomic weapons training facility. This was first built with Soviet assistance in 1958, and rose to international prominence when the 2006 North Korean nuclear test2006 North Korean nuclear test
The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted on October 9, 2006 by North Korea.North Korea announced its intention to conduct a test on October 3, six days prior, and in doing so became the first nation to give warning of its first nuclear test...
and 2009 North Korean nuclear test
2009 North Korean nuclear test
The 2009 North Korean nuclear test was the underground detonation of a nuclear device conducted on 25 May 2009 by North Korea. This was its second nuclear test, the first test having taken place in October 2006. Following the nuclear test, Pyongyang also conducted several missile tests.The test was...
were reported to have been held there. The Musudan-ri
Musudan-ri
The Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground, also known as Musudan-ri, is a rocket launching site in North Korea. It lies in southern North Hamgyong province, near the northern tip of the East Korea Bay...
missile facility is located in nearby Hwadae
Hwadae
Hwadae is a county in southern North Hamgyong province, North Korea, with an area of about 460 km² and a population of approximately 70,000. It adjoins the Sea of Japan on the east and south. By land, it adjoins Kimchaek and Kilchu to the west, and Myŏngch'ŏn to the north...
county, and a separate Scud facility has been reported in the area.