The Taedong River () 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 Nampo. 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 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. 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 Goguryeo was founded on its banks. Many archeological sites dating to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, as well as relics and ruins from Goguryeo have been found along the river. It was also once known as the Pae River ().

Dams and bridges

A bridge 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. Max Desfor's photograph of the event, Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea, would win the 1951 Pulitzer Prize in Photography.

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. Other dams, such as the Nyongwon Power Station, have been built to provide energy to the country.

In Pyongyang, there are six bridges on the Taedong, including the Ongryu Bridge, Rungra Bridge, and Taedong Bridge.

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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 USS Pueblo incident

File:USS Pueblo 1.JPG|The captured 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

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Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

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See also

  • Taedong River estuary Important Bird Area
  • Taedonggang, a beer named after the river
  • Rivers of Asia
  • Rivers of Korea
  • Geography of North Korea