Country North Korea Province Ryanggang Province | Area 1,200 km² | |
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Administrative divisions 1 ŭp, 4 workers' districts, 20 ri | ||
Kapsan County is a kun, or county, in Ryanggang province, North Korea. During the Chosŏn Dynasty, officials who had fallen into disfavour were often sent into internal exile there.
Contents
- Map of Kapsan Ryanggang North Korea
- Geography
- Administrative Divisions
- Economy
- Transportation
- History
- References
Map of Kapsan, Ryanggang, North Korea
Geography
Kapsan lies on the eastern edge of the Kaema Plateau. The highest peak is Tongjomryongsan (동점령산, 2113 m). Although the majority of the county's area is mountainous, the terrain slopes downward toward the center and the Kapsan Basin. The county's chief stream is the Hochon River (허천강). Cultivation is largely restricted to the basin and river valley. Some 85% of the county's area is forestland. Due to its location on the Kaema Plateau, Kapsan has a severely cold continental climate.
Administrative Divisions
Kapsan county is divided into 1 ŭp (town). 4 rodongjagu (workers' districts) and 20 ri (villages):
Economy
The chief local industry is agriculture; major crops include rice (raised along the Hochon), as well as potatoes, hops, and honey. The 5.1 Workers' District (오일로동자구) specializes in hops production; these "5.1 Hops" are exported to other countries. Lumbering also plays a role, thanks to the extensive forests. There are various mineral deposits in the county, including lodes of copper, coal and copper pyrite.
Transportation
There is a cable car railway in the county; however, most transportation is by road.
History
During the Korean War (1950-1953), Korean guerrillas passed word to United Nations forces that a large number of top North Korean Communist leaders planned to gather in Kapsan in October 1951. Based on this information, eight AD Skyraider bombers from United States Navy Fighter Squadron 54 (VF-54) attacked their meeting place with 1,000-pound (454-kg) bombs and napalm. Intelligence evaluation indicated that the attack killed 500 Communists.