Sinŭiju ; Sinŭiju-si, known before 1925 in English as Yeng Byen City) is a city in North Korea which faces Dandong, China across the international border of the Amnok River. It is the capital of North P'yŏngan province. Part of the city is included in the Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region, which was established in 2002 to experiment with introducing a market economy. In recent years, the city, despite lagging behind the development in the capital Pyongyang, has seen a small construction boom and increasing tourism from China.
Developed as a major settlement during the colonial rule at the terminus of a railway bridge across the Amrok River, Sinuiju is located 7 miles south by southwest of Ŭiju, the old city from whose name Sinŭiju derives. As an open port, it grew commercially with the logging industry which uses the Amnok River to transport lumber. Additionally, a chemical industry developed after the hydroelectric Sup'ung Dam was built further up the river. In the course of the Korean War, after being driven from P'yŏngyang, Kim Il Sung and his government temporarily moved its capital to Sinŭiju - although as UNC forces approached, the government again moved - this time to Kanggye. Also, the city sustained heavy damage from aerial bombardment as part of the United States Air Force's strategic bombing of North Korea; 95 percent of the city was destroyed. However, the city has since been rebuilt.
Economy
An important light industry centre in North Korea, Sinŭiju has a plant manufacturing enamelled ironware as well as a textile mill, paper mill and an afforestation factory. Its southwest harbour has a shipyard, although the shipyard's main function is seemingly to dismantle ships for scrap metal and other usable materials rather than building new ships. The area has recycling plants which recycle a wide range of material, including products that are banned for recycling in China. The Sinŭiju Cosmetics Factory is located in South Sinŭiju.
Trade with China
A substantial portion of North Korea's international trade, both legal and illegal, passes through Sinuiju and Dandong, across the Amnok River.
Central market
Since 2002, commercial life has been centred on the Chaeha-dong Market. Based on a satellite image taken on 30 October 2012, the market has been destroyed and is being made into a new park.
Transportation
Sinŭiju can be reached from P'yŏngyang by air, railway and road. It can be reached from Dandong in China by crossing the Amnok River by bridge or boat. Foreign tourists on excursion boats from Dandong are sometimes permitted to approach within a few meters of the city's coastline, as long as they do not land.
Air
has a single turf runway 03/21 measuring. Air Koryŏ operates passenger and cargo flights from P'yŏngyang.
Sinŭiju has a monsoonal humid continental climate with hot, humid and stormy summers and cold, dry winters with little snowfall.
Places of interest
Facilities in Sinŭiju include Sinŭiju High School, Sinŭiju Commercial High School, Eastern Middle School, Sinŭiju Light Industry University, Sinŭiju University of Medicine and the Sinuiju University of Education. Scenic sites include the Tonggun Pavilion, Waterfall, and Hot Springs. There also is a Ferris wheel overlooking the Amnok River, reportedly broken.
