Tumen River

The Tumen River is a 521-kilometre (324 mi) long river that forms part of the boundary between China, North Korea, and Russia. It begins on the slopes of Mount Paektu and flows into the Sea of Japan. The river has a drainage basin of 33,800 km² (13,100 sq mi).

It flows in northeast Asia, marking the border between China and North Korea in its upper reaches, and between North Korea and Russia in its final 17 kilometers (11 mi) before reaching the sea. The river forms much of the southern border of Jilin Province in Northeast China and the northern borders of North Korea's North Hamgyong and Ryanggang provinces.

The name of the river comes from the Mongolian word tümen, meaning "ten thousand" or a myriad. In Tumen, Jilin, there is a riverfront promenade with restaurants where people can look across the river into North Korea. The river has been an important location historically and economically, with several towns and cities located along its banks.

Noktundo

Main article: Noktundo

Noktundo was once an island at the mouth of the Tumen River but is now like a peninsula. It has been a point of disagreement between Russia and North Korea about where their border should be. Long ago, during the Qing dynasty, the island was given to Russia in a treaty from 1860 called the 1860 Treaty of Peking. In 1990, the Soviet Union and North Korea made an agreement to set the border through the middle of the river, which put part of the old island on the Russian side. South Korea does not accept this agreement and has asked Russia to give the land back to Korea.

Fishing

The Tumen River is home to several special kinds of fish, like the Tumen lenok and bighead gudgeon. In 2016, China added 800,000 young salmon to the river. This was done to help grow the local fishing industry and provide more fish for people to enjoy.

Illegal crossings

Many people from North Korea have crossed the Tumen River to reach China. This happened often during a tough time in the 1990s and continues today. The Tumen River is easier to cross than the Amnok River because it is shallower and narrower. In some places, people can walk across, and in winter, it freezes so people can cross without water.

People trying to cross often wait for weeks, months, or even years for the right moment. Some areas along the border are not watched closely by guards. Very few people try to cross into Russia because it is more guarded and there is less support there compared to China.

Sometimes soldiers and others also cross the river looking for food or money. This has caused some Chinese villagers to leave the area because of attacks. The difficult situation in this area inspired songs and films, like the 2010 movie Dooman River.