Tanchon, South Hamgyŏng Province, Kwannam Region, North Korea

🇰🇵 Tanch'ŏn is a port city in north-eastern South Hamgyŏng province, North Korea. Tanch'ŏn borders the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea), into which the Namdae River flows.

Administrative divisions Tanch'ŏn is divided into 39 tong (neighbourhoods) and 39 ri (villages): • Chich'o-dong • Chikchŏl-dong • Chŏnjin-dong • Haean 1-dong • Haean 2-dong • Hanggu 1-dong • Hanggu 2-dong • Hanggu 3-dong • Kŭmbong-dong • Kŭmgol 1-dong • Kŭmgol 2-dong • Kŭmgol 3-dong • Kŭmsan-dong • Kwangch'ŏn-dong • Muhak-tong • Munhwa-dong • Naemun-dong • Namp'ung-dong • Paeg'am-dong • Paekkŭmsan-dong • Ponsan-dong • Pukch'ŏn-dong • Puktu-dong • P'ugŏ-dong • Ryongdae-dong • San'gwang-dong • Sao-dong • Sindanch'ŏn 1-dong • Sindanch'ŏn 2-dong • Taehŭng 1-dong • Taehŭng 2-dong • Taesin-dong • T'amsi-dong • Tŏkhŭng-dong • Tong'am-dong • Tonsan-dong • Yangch'ŏn-dong • Yangsan-dong • Yŏng'ung-dong • Changnae-ri • Chŏngdong-ri • Chŭngsal-li • Hwajang-ri • Kaŭng-ri • Kawŏl-li • Mun'am-ri • Munho-ri • O'mong-ri • Paeksal-li • Pokp'yŏng-ri • Ponghwa-ri • Rip'a-ri • Ryŏngdae-ri • Ryongjam-ri • Ryŏngsal-li • Ryongdŏng-ri • Ryonghŭng-ri • Ryongyŏl-li • Samgŏ-ri • Sindong-ri • Sinho-ri • Sinp'ung-ri • Sinp'yŏng-ri • Sŏk'u-ri • Songjŏng-ri • Songp'a-ri • Ssangryong-ri • Talch'ŏl-li • Taptong-ri • Tŏkchu-ri • Tolsal-li • Tuyŏl-li • Unch'ŏl-li • Wadong-ri • Wŏnsal-li • Yangp'yŏng-ri • Yŏngp'yŏng-ri

Economy There are extensive mineral resources in the area, including cobalt, magnesite, and iron ore. The city is known for its chemical production, textiles, metal ware, machinery and smelting. The Komdok mine is located in Kumgol-1 dong. The Taehung mine is located in South Hamgyong Province.

The area is also home to the large Tanchon Power Station (under construction as of April 2020), consisting of hundreds of km of waterway tunnels and a planned six power stations, that has been under construction since 2017.

Technology The City of Tanch'ŏn is featured in the PC game Tradewinds.

Transport Tanch'ŏn is situated on the P'yŏngra Line and the Hŏch'ŏn Line of the Korean State Railway. In 2012 the city's port was renovated and upgraded. Tanch'ŏn port was reconstructed, and a ceremony marking the completion was taken place in December 2012. In the ceremony, a joint congratulatory message sent by the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Cabinet was read to the officials and members of shock brigades who performed labor feats in the construction of the port.

A trolleybus line runs within Tanchon from next to Kumgol station in Kumgol 1-dong to Kumgol 3-dong with a length of over 6 km. The line was opened in 1986 to serve the Komdok mining region though there have been no trolleybuses seen on satellite imagery since 2011.

Wildlife The population of Chinese gorals in Tanch'ŏn has been designated North Korean natural monument #293.