Sinuiju

Lore & Background

Sinŭiju was developed as a major settlement during Japanese colonial rule at the terminus of a railway bridge across the Amrok River. It is located 11 km (7 miles) south by southwest of Ŭiju, the old city from whose name Sinŭiju (meaning 'New Ŭiju') derives. As an open port, it grew commercially with the logging industry using the Amnok River to transport lumber, and a chemical industry developed after the hydroelectric Sup'ung Dam was built further up the river. During the Korean War, after being driven from P'yŏngyang, Kim Il Sung and his government temporarily moved the capital to Sinŭiju, but as United Nations Command forces approached, the government moved again to Kanggye.

Reader's Guide

Sinŭiju holds significance as a key border city and a hub for North Korea's international trade, both legal and illegal, with much of it passing through Sinŭiju and Dandong across the Yalu River. The city is an important light industry centre, with plants for enamelled ironware, textiles, paper, and an afforestation factory, as well as a shipyard that primarily dismantles ships for scrap. The Sinŭiju Cosmetics Factory is located in South Sinŭiju. The city's trolleybus line, reopened in October 2020, connects the city centre to the railway station.

Did You Know?

• The city's name means 'New Ŭiju' and derives from the old city of Ŭiju, located 11 km away.
• Sinŭiju has a Ferris wheel overlooking the Yalu River that is reportedly broken.