Kaechon

Kaech'ŏn 개천시 Kaechon
Municipal City
Korean transcription(s)
• Chosŏn'gŭl	개천시
• Hancha	价川市
• McCune-Reischauer	Kaech'ŏn-si
• Revised Romanization	Gaecheon-si
Map of South Pyongan showing the location of Kaechon
Kaech'ŏn Location within North Korea
Coordinates: 39°41′55″N 125°54′22″E / 39.69861°N 125.90611°E / 39.69861; 125.90611
Country	North Korea
Province	South P'yŏngan
Administrative divisions	26 tong, 11 ri
Area
• Total	738 km2 (285 sq mi)
Population  (2008)
• Total	319,554
• Density	430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
• Dialect	P'yŏngan
Time zone	UTC+9 (Pyongyang Time)

Kaech'ŏn or Kaechon (US: /ˈɡeɪtʃʌn/ GAY-chun,^[1] Korean: [kɛtsʰʌn]; Hangul: 개천시, Hanja: 价川市) is a city in South P'yŏngan province, North Korea.

The Myohyangsan, Changansan, Ch'ŏnsŏngsan, and Ch'ŏngryongsan mountain ranges come together in Kaech'ŏn. The highest peak is Paekt'apsan. The most important rivers are the Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River and the Taedong River. The area of the city is 61% forested.

Kaech'ŏn-si is divided into 26 tong (neighbourhoods) and 11 ri (villages):

Water resources are abundant, and several reservoirs are located in Kaech'ŏn.

Agriculture has been extensively developed, including livestock and fruit orchards. Machining and metalworking are the dominant industries, mining has also become more prominent.

Kaech'ŏn is served by the Korean State Railway's Kaech'ŏn Line and the Manp'o Line trunk lines, as well as the Choyang Colliery Line and Chunhyŏk Line secondary lines.

Tourist sites in Kaech'ŏn include Songam Cavern, Taeripsa Temple with its 9-level stone pagoda, the fortresses of Changhamsŏng, T'osŏng, and Kosasansŏng, Namsa dolmen, and the group of dolments at Mukpangsan. There are also Yŏnpung Lake, which was constructed in 1956, and Yongwŏn Cavern, which was discovered in 1966 and is preserved as North Korea's Natural Monument No. 43.

The Kaechon Revolutionary Site is associated with Kim Il Sung's 250 Mile Journey for National Liberation. A statue was erected there on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, April 15, in 2001.^[2]

There are two large prison camps in Kaech'ŏn, both known for very harsh conditions:

• Political Prison Camp No. 14 is a prison labour colony around 20 km (12 mi) southeast of the city centre at the banks of Taedong River. Shin Dong-hyuk was born in the camp, tortured there, and finally saw his mother and brother executed before he escaped.^[3]
• Re-education Camp No. 1 is a prison building complex around 2.5 km (1.6 mi) east of the city centre. Lee Soon-ok was imprisoned for six years in the camp and gave testimony before the United States Senate.^[4]

• List of cities in North Korea
• Transportation in North Korea

• Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014. ISBN 978-89-6297-167-5

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kaechon.

• City profile of Kaechon Archived 2016-03-09 at the Wayback Machine