Rason (original) (raw)

This article is about the North Korean city. For the Australian politician, see Hector Rason. For his ministry, see Rason Ministry.

Special city in Kwanbuk, North Korea

Rason 라선시
Special city
라선특별시 · Rason Special City
Korean transcription(s)
• Chosŏn'gŭl 라선특별시
• Hancha 羅先特別市
• McCune-Reischauer Rasŏn T'ŭkpyŏlsi
• Revised Romanization Raseon Teukbyeolsi
Bipaseom Island (top), Imperial Hotel and Casino (bottom left), Rason Hotel (bottom right)Bipaseom Island (top), Imperial Hotel and Casino (bottom left), Rason Hotel (bottom right)
Map
Country North Korea
Region Kwanbuk
Government
• Party Committee Chairman Rim Kyong-man[1] (WPK)
• People's Committee Chairman Cho Chong-ho[1]
Area
• Total 746 km2 (288 sq mi)
Elevation 27 m (89 ft)
Population (2019)[2]
• Total 205,000
• Density 275/km2 (710/sq mi)
• Dialect Hamgyŏng
Time zone UTC+9 (Pyongyang Time)
ISO Code KP-13

Rason (formerly Rajin-Sŏnbong; Korean pronunciation: [ɾa.sʌ̹n, ɾa.dʑin.sʰʌ̹n.boŋ]) is a North Korean special city and ice-free port[3] 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.[4] The Soviet naval facilities were built starting in 1979.[5] 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.[6] What this means in practice is unclear.

Rason borders Hunchun county in Jilin province of China and Khasansky District in Primorsky Krai of Russia.[3] China is making investments in the port as it gives it access to the Sea of Japan.[3][7] 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.[8] Coal is shipped from nearby Chinese mines to Shanghai.[3] A casino by the sea caters to Chinese visitors.[9]

Rason (2007).

Administrative divisions

[edit]

Rason is divided into two district (kuyŏk).[10]

Rason has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dwb).

Climate data for Rason
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −3.8(25.2) −1.1(30.0) 4.4(39.9) 11.4(52.5) 16.1(61.0) 19.0(66.2) 23.2(73.8) 24.8(76.6) 21.3(70.3) 15.3(59.5) 6.0(42.8) −1.1(30.0) 11.3(52.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) −9.1(15.6) −6.8(19.8) −1.3(29.7) 5.2(41.4) 9.9(49.8) 14.2(57.6) 19.1(66.4) 20.7(69.3) 16.0(60.8) 9.4(48.9) 0.9(33.6) −6.2(20.8) 6.0(42.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −14.4(6.1) −12.5(9.5) −6.9(19.6) −0.9(30.4) 3.8(38.8) 9.5(49.1) 15.0(59.0) 16.6(61.9) 10.8(51.4) 3.5(38.3) −4.2(24.4) −11.2(11.8) 0.8(33.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 6(0.2) 8(0.3) 21(0.8) 30(1.2) 71(2.8) 101(4.0) 116(4.6) 196(7.7) 114(4.5) 55(2.2) 24(0.9) 10(0.4) 752(29.6)
Source: Climate-Data.org[11]

The Korean People's Navy maintains a naval training base at the Rajin Port in the city of Rason. In addition, a Chinese company in 2017 leased a dock for 10 years at the port.[12]

This port may also be known as the Port of Rajin.[13]

Foreign Investments

[edit]

The Rason Emperor Hotel and Casino is a resort and casino in Rason owned by the Emperor Group, a diversified Hong Kong based commercial group.[14]

Rajin Oil Refinery is the largest oil refinery in North Korea. Although North Korea itself lacks oil wells, they can and do import oil from other countries to supply their refineries. Large oil tankers are spotted multiple times unloading at the Rajin port.[2]

Rason has a number of mineral resources within the locality, including coal, iron, magnesite, and clay.[2]

Rason is home to No 28 Shipyard Najin, a shipbuilder and supplier to the Korean People's Navy.

Rajin Station is on the Pyongra Line and Hambuk Line. The Hongui Line was opened in 1959, connecting Rason with the Russian Khasan on the Tumen River; the river is the natural North Korea–Russia border.

The Tumen River Bridge connects between Hunchun and Rason.

Hunchun, Jilin, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, People's Republic of China.[2]

  1. ^ a b "Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership" (PDF). Seoul: Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification. January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "朝鲜罗先市" (in Chinese). 18 October 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Andray Abrahamian (September 2011). "Report on Rason Special Economic Zone" (PDF). Choson Exchange. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  4. ^ Robinson, Thomas W. (January 1982). "The Soviet Union and Asia in 1981". Asian Survey. A Survey of Asia in 1981: Part I. 22 (1): 20. doi:10.2307/2643707. JSTOR 2643707.
  5. ^ Hodson, H. V.; Rose, Bishakha, eds. (1980). The Annual Register of World Events 1979. 221. UK: Longmans Group Limited. pp. 104, 314. ISBN 0-8103-2023-1.
  6. ^ "Rasun Becomes Special City". Daily NK. 5 January 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Strategic Implications of China's Access to the Rajin Port". The Jamestown Foundation. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011.
  8. ^ "DPRK allows China domestic trade cargo to ship via its port". China Daily. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011.
  9. ^ Wong, Edward (12 October 2011). "Tending a Small Patch of Capitalism in North Korea". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  10. ^ "라선시 - 북한지명사전". North Korea Net. JoongAng Ilbo. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  11. ^ "Climate: Rason". Climate-Data.org. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  12. ^ "China leases Rason port for 10 years". North Korean Economy Watch. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Kim Sent Russia Millions of Artillery Shells, South Korea Says". Bloomberg. 14 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Gambling as usual up North for Emperor Group casino". South China Morning Post. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2020.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rason.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Rason.

42°20′40″N 130°23′04″E / 42.34444°N 130.38444°E / 42.34444; 130.38444