Hwanggumpyong Island

Hwanggumpyong
황금평
黃金坪
Map
Geography
LocationYalu River
Coordinates39°58′N 124°19′E / 39.96°N 124.31°E / 39.96; 124.31
Area11.45 km2 (4.42 sq mi)
Administration
ProvinceNorth P'yŏngan
CountySindo County
 Republic of Korea (claimed)
ProvinceNorth Pyeongan
County-level divisionYongcheon
MyeonSindo
Demographics
Ethnic groupsKoreans

Hwanggumpyong (Korean: 황금평, simplified Chinese: 黄金坪; traditional Chinese: 黃金坪; pinyin: Huángjīnpíng), formerly called Hwanggumpyong Island (Korean: 황금평도, simplified Chinese: 黄金坪岛; traditional Chinese: 黃金坪島; pinyin: Huángjīnpíng Dǎo), is a North Korean free-trade zone bordering China. The area used to be a tidal island in the Yalu River. However, due to continuous deposition of river-borne sediments, the northern portion of the former island is now permanently connected with the Chinese city of Dandong. A steel mesh fence has been built to mark the land border between China and North Korea.[1]

Due to ethnic Koreans living on the island at the time of a 1962 border treaty, both China and North Korea agreed that the sovereignty of the island belongs to North Korea. The former river island is now a North Korean exclave on the otherwise Chinese side of the river.[2] The agreement is not recognized by South Korea, who continues to claim this island in accordance with its constitution.

History

In June 2011, an agreement, negotiated by Gao Jingde, of Sunbase International Holdings Ltd,[3] with China was made to establish a joint free-trade area on Hwanggumpyong and Wihwa Islands, as well as the Chinese border area near Dandong.[4] By 2013, the site had been prepared, and a free-trade area of over 300 acres (120 ha) may be ready for operation in about two years.[5]

References

  1. ^ 韩媒体称朝鲜将两个岛租给中国 拟打造朝版香港 (in Chinese)
  2. ^ Jeong Woo-sang (10 June 2011). "What Is Hwanggumpyong Island?". Digital Chosun. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  3. ^ Kim, Young-gyo (20 June 2011). "Hong Kong conglomerate likely to be tapped as developer of N. Korean island: report". Yonhap News Agency.
  4. ^ Robert Kelley; Michael Zagurek; Bradley O. Babson (19 February 2012). "PRC's Embrace of North Korea: The Curious Case of the Hwanggumpyong Island Economic Zone". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  5. ^ Nick Hansen; Jeffrey Lewis (17 June 2013). "New Construction Activity at the Hwanggumpyong Economic Zone". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Retrieved 22 June 2013.