North Hwanghae Province

North Hwanghae Province, also called Hwanghaebuk-to, is one of the provinces of North Korea. It was created in 1954 when the older Hwanghae Province was divided into two parts: North and South Hwanghae. The main city, or capital, of this province is Sariwon.

The province shares borders with several places. To the north, it touches Pyongyang and South Pyongan. To the east, it meets Kangwon. To the south, it is close to the Kaesong Industrial Region and South Korea's Gyeonggi Province. To the southwest, it borders South Hwanghae.

In 2003, Kaesong Directly Governed City became a part of North Hwanghae as Kaepung County. However, in 2019, Kaesong was upgraded to a Special City and separated from North Hwanghae. This area, near the Yellow Sea, has a rich history and is an important part of North Korea today.

Administrative divisions

North Hwanghae Province is divided into 2 cities and 18 counties. In 2010, three counties—Chunghwa, Kangnam, and Sangwon—were added to the province after being split from Pyongyang. However, Kangnam was returned to Pyongyang in 2011.

Cities

• Sariwon (capital)
• Songrim

Counties

• Chunghwa County
• Hwangju County
• Koksan County
• Kumchon County
• Pongsan County
• Pyongsan County
• Rinsan County
• Sangwon County
• Singye County
• Sinpyong County
• Sohung County
• Suan County
• Sŭngho County
• Tosan County
• Unpa County
• Yonsan County
• Yontan County

Transportation

North Hwanghae is linked to the rest of the country by the Pyongbu Railway Line, which is known in South Korea as the Kyongui Line. This railway is meant to go from Pyongyang to Pusan, but it stops at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The area also has big highways, especially the Pyongyang-Kaesong Motorway.

Education

North Hwanghae Province has several schools that help students learn important subjects. These schools are run by the government and include Kye Ung Sang Sariwon University of Agriculture, Sariwon University of Geology, and Sariwon Teachers University.

Culture

Historic landmarks

North Hwanghae has many important old treasures because it was the capital of the Koryo dynasty at Kaesong. The area holds tombs of many Koryo kings, with the most famous being the tombs of kings Taejo and Kongmin, along with others found around Kaesong and Kaepung county. Kaesong also has the Koguryo-era Taehungsan Fortress, built to guard the old capital at Pyongyang, and includes the well-known Kwanum Temple. Near Sariwin is the famous Jongbangsan Fortress, another old defense structure for Pyongyang. This fortress contains the Songbulsa Buddhist temple from the 9th century, one of the oldest and most beautiful in the country.