Pyongsong

Pyongsong is a city in North Korea, and it is the capital of South Pyongan province. The city sits about 32 kilometres, or 19.88 miles, northeast of the larger city of Pyongyang. Though it is not as famous as Pyongyang, Pyongsong has its own importance in the country.

The city was formally established in December 1969, making it a relatively new city compared to some older parts of North Korea. Today, Pyongsong is home to many people, with a population of 284,386. It plays a key role as an administrative center for the province it leads.

History

The area that is now called Pyongsong used to be part of Pyongyang and South Pyongan Province. It became its own district in 1965 and grew by combining more areas. In 1969, it became a full city and the capital of South Pyongan Province. Some parts of the city were later moved to Pyongyang in 1995.

In 2017, a missile called Hwasong-15 was launched from the city.

Administrative divisions

P'yŏngsŏng-si is divided into 20 dong (neighbourhoods) and 14 ri (villages).

Economy

Pyongsong has small research facilities for science and physics, managed by the State Academy of Sciences. About 28% of the land is used for farming, and fruits are grown in the villages.

Because of its good location and transport links, Pyongsong has many wholesale businesses that import products from China. Many traders cannot travel to Pyongyang, so they sell their goods in Pyongsong instead. These markets also supply other cities like Haeju and Sariwon. It is easier to send goods to cities on the east coast, such as Wonsan, from Pyongsong rather than directly from Sinuiju. In 2009, the market was divided into two smaller ones because it was seen as too capitalist by some.

Industry

Pyongsong has several important factories, including a synthetic leather factory, a rubber band factory, an agricultural machine factory, and a watch factory.

March 16 Factory/ Phyongnam General Machine Plant

The largest factory in Pyongsong is the March 16 factory, also called Pyongsang Auto Works. It covers an area of 248,000 square meters and employs around 7,000 to 8,000 people. Founded on March 16, 1977, it makes jeeps, trucks, and armoured vehicles. The factory has roads leading to Pyongyang and Sunchon.

Education

Pyongsong was planned to be a center for science and technology in North Korea. The city is home to several colleges and research institutes, including:

• Pyongsong University of Science
• Pyongsong University of Medicine
• Space Science Research Institute
• Phyongsong University of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry

Nature

Pyongsong sits between 100 and 200 metres above sea level. The western part of the city has many mountains, while forests cover most of the area. These forests have many types of trees, including oak, birch, acacia, maple, and alder trees. The city has a continental climate, and there are important metals found nearby. The Taedong River runs through Pyongsong.

Transport

Pyongsong has two train stations on the P'yŏngra Line, one in P'yŏngsŏng-dong and another in Ponghak-dong.

The city also has a trolleybus line that started running in 1983. It went from Munwha-dong to Pyongsong station and was later extended. However, part of the line was closed between 1996 and 2005. By 2015, there were about 12 trolleybuses on the main part of the line, but this number dropped to 8 after some bigger buses stopped being used.

Sister cities

Pyongsong has sister cities in other countries. One is Pernik in Bulgaria, and the other is Bhaktapur in Nepal.