Wonsan

Wonsan, a port city and naval base on North Korea's eastern coast, serves as the capital of Kangwon Province. Originally called Wonsanjin, the port was opened by Japanese forces in 1880. Before the Korean War, it belonged to South Hamgyong Province, but provincial borders were redrawn in 1946, placing it in the northern half of Kangwon, which had been split along the 38th parallel. During the war, Wonsan was the site of the Blockade of Wonsan, a prolonged siege by United Nations forces. The city's population was estimated at 329,207 in 2013.

Notable figures from Wonsan include Kim Ki-nam, a diplomat and former Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea. In 2013, plans were announced to transform Wonsan into a summer destination with resorts and entertainment. Kim Jong Un, who spent his childhood there, has shown significant interest in developing the area. New infrastructure includes Kalma Airport, a dual-use civilian international airport and military proving ground. The state-owned Wonsan Zone Development Corporation has been established, conducting feasibility studies for hotels and commercial and industrial projects. In 2015, Kim Jong Un announced a $582 million redevelopment of the city center, involving demolition and reconstruction, including a five-star hotel, a 17-story Wonsan International Finance Centre, and a $9.6 million exhibition hall. Kim Jong Un also maintains a private compound in Wonsan with a palace, guest houses, a harbor, a beach, and a racehorse track.

The city has been known by various names: Yonghunghang, Yuanshan in Chinese, Genzan or Gensan in Japanese, and Port Lazareva or Port Lazarev in Russian. Geographically, Wonsan sits on the westernmost part of the Sea of Japan, at the eastern end of the Korean peninsula's neck. Mountains Changdok and Nap'al lie to the west, and over 20 small islands, including Hwangt'o and Ryo, flank the coast. The area is considered an excellent natural port, and Mount Kŭmgang is nearby.

Administratively, Wonsan is divided into 45 neighborhoods (tong) and 14 villages (ri), including districts such as Changchon-dong, Kalma-dong, and Ryŏdo-dong, among others. The climate is a monsoon-influenced hot-summer humid continental type (Köppen Dwa).

Historically, evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age human activity has been found in the Chungpyongdong area. Under Goguryeo, it was called Eo eul mae and Chonjung county, and after Silla incorporated it in 681, it became Jungchon county. During the Goryeo dynasty, it was renamed Yongju, then Uiju, with a fortress built in 1108. From 1258 to 1356, it was part of the Ssangseong Prefectures. In 1854, the Russian Empire surveyed the area. The port opened in 1880, and under Japanese rule (1910–45) it was called Gensan. Railway lines to Pyongyang and Seoul opened in 1914, turning the city into a distribution center for eastern products and an industrial hub. During the Korean War, Wonsan was captured by American and South Korean troops on October 10, 1950, then fell to Chinese forces on December 9, 1950. It was heavily bombed and shelled during the Blockade of Wonsan, which lasted from March 1951 to July 27, 1953—the longest siege in modern American naval history. By the war's end, the city was largely destroyed.

As a coastal city, seafood is common in Wonsan's cuisine, with local delicacies including boiled rice with clam meat.