Cities of East Asia
North Korea
Table:
City
Image
Chosŏn'gŭl
Hancha
Province
Population
(2008)

Pyongyang

평양

平壤

Direct-administered city

3,255,288

Hamhung

함흥

咸興

South Hamgyong

768,551

Chongjin

청진

清津

North Hamgyong

667,929

Nampo

남포

南浦

Special city

366,341

Wonsan

원산

元山

Kangwon

363,127

Sinuiju

신의주

新義州

North Pyongan

359,341

Tanchon

N/A

단천

端川

South Hamgyong

345,876

Kaechon

N/A

개천

价川

South Pyongan

319,554

Kaesong

개성

開城

Special-level city

308,440

Sariwon

사리원

沙里院

North Hwanghae

307,764

With reference to the accompanying table and the supporting evidence listed.

Solve the question: Which people opened the East Asian port city with a population of 363,127 ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

The Korean alphabet , known as Hangul ( Hangeul ) [ note 1 ] in South Korea or Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea , has been used to write the Korean language since its creation in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great . It is the official writing system of Korea , both South Korea and North Korea . It is a co-official writing system in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture and Changbai Korean Autonomous County in Jilin Province , China . It is also sometimes used to write the Cia-Cia language spoken near the town of Baubau , Indonesia . A Taiwanese linguist Xu Caode ( 1987 ) developed and used a modified Hangul alphabet to represent spoken Taiwanese Hokkien , and was later supported by Ang Ui-jin ( see Taiwanese Hangul ) . The Hangul alphabet originally consisted of 28 letters with 17 consonant letters and 11 vowel letters when it was created . As four became obsolete , modern Hangul consists of a total of 24 letters with 14 consonant letters and 10 vowel letters . In North Korea the total is counted 40 . It consists of 19 consonant letters and 21 vowel letters as it additionally includes 5 tense consonants ( ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅉ ㅆ ) and 6 compound and complex vowel letters as well as ㅐ and ㅔ . The Korean letters are written in syllabic blocks with the alphabetic letters arranged in two dimensions . For example , the Korean word for honeybee ( kkulbeol ) is written 꿀벌 , not ㄲㅜㄹㅂㅓㄹ . As it combines the features of alphabetic and syllabic writing systems , it has been described as an alphabetic syllabary by some linguists .
Hanja ( Korean : 한자 ; Hanja : 漢字 ; Korean pronunciation : [ ha ( ː ) nt͈ɕa ] ) [ citation needed ] is the Korean name for Chinese characters ( Chinese : 漢字 ; pinyin : hànzì ) . More specifically , it refers to the Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation . Hanja-mal or Hanja-eo ( the latter is used more often ) refers to words that can be written with Hanja , and hanmun , or anyone who wishes to read scholarly texts in the humanities . Learning a certain number of Hanja is very helpful for understanding the etymology of Sino-Korean words , and for enlarging one 's Korean vocabulary . Today , Hanja are not used to write native Korean words , which are always rendered in Hangul , and even words of Chinese origin - Hanja-eo ( 한자어 , 漢字語 ) - are written with the Hangul alphabet most of the time , with the corresponding Chinese character often written next to it to prevent confusion with other characters or words with the same phonetics . [ citation needed ]
Pyongyang , P'yŏngyang or Pyeongyang ( US : /ˌpjɒŋˈjæŋ/ , UK : /ˌpjʌŋˈjɑːŋ/ , Korean : [ pʰjʌŋ.jaŋ ] ) , is the capital and largest city of North Korea . Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about 109 kilometres ( 68 mi ) upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea . According to the 2008 population census , it has a population of 3,255,288 . Pyongyang is a directly-administered city ( 직할시 ; 直轄市 ; chikhalsi ) with equal status to North Korean provinces . Pyongyang is considered one of the oldest cities in Korea . It was the capital of two ancient Korean kingdoms , including Gojoseon and Goguryeo , and served as the secondary capital of Goryeo . Much of the city was destroyed during the First Sino-Japanese War , but it was revived under Japanese rule and became an industrial center . Following the establishment of North Korea in 1948 , Pyongyang became its de facto capital . The city was again devastated during the Korean War , but was quickly rebuilt after the war with Soviet assistance . Pyongyang is the political , industrial and transport center of North Korea . It is home to North Korea 's major government institutions , as well as the ruling Workers ' Party of Korea .
Hamhŭng ( Hamhŭng-si ; Korean pronunciation : [ ham.ɦɯŋ ] ) is North Korea 's second largest city , and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province . In late 2005 , nearby Hŭngnam was made a ward ( kuyŏk ) within Hamhŭng-si . It has a population of 768,551 as of 2008 [ update ] .
South Hamgyong Province ( Korean : 함경남도 , Hamgyŏngnamdo ; Korean pronunciation : [ ham.ɡjʌŋ.nam.do ] ) is a province of North Korea . The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Hamgyong Province , remained a province of Korea until 1945 , then became a province of North Korea . Its capital is Hamhung .
Chŏngjin ( Korean pronunciation : [ tsʰʌŋ.dʑin ] ; Korean : 청진시 ; MR : Ch'ŏngjin-si ) is the capital of North Korea 's North Hamgyong Province and the country 's third largest city . It is sometimes called the City of Iron .
North Hamgyong Province ( Hamgyŏngbukdo Korean pronunciation : [ ham.ɡjʌŋ.buk̚.t͈o ] ) is the northernmost province of North Korea . The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Hamgyong Province .
Nampo ( North Korean official spelling : Nampho ; pronounced [ nam.pʰo ] ) , also spelled Namp ' o , is a city and seaport in South Pyongan Province , North Korea , which lies on the northern shore of the Taedong River , 15 km east of the river 's mouth . Formerly known as Chinnamp ' o , it was a provincial-level Directly Governed City ( Chikhalsi ) from 1980 to 2004 , and was designated a Special City ( T'ŭkgŭpsi ; tŭkpyŏlsi ; 특별시 ; 特別市 ) in 2010 , and made a part of South P'yŏngan . Namp ' o is approximately 50 km southwest of P'yŏngyang , at the mouth of the Taedong River . Namp ' o was originally a small fishing village that became a port for foreign trade in 1897 , developing into a modern port in 1945 after World War II . With the rapid increase in state investment , the city 's industrial capacity grew . Some of the city 's industrial facilities include the city 's Smelter Complex , Glass Corporation , Shipbuilding Complex , Fishery Complex , and other central and local factories . Namp ' o is a center for the DPRK shipbuilding industry . North of the city are facilities for freight transportation , aquatic products , and fishery , and a sea salt factory . Apples grown in the city 's Ryonggang district ( 룡강군 ) are a famous local product .
Wŏnsan ( Korean pronunciation : [ wʌn.san ] ) , previously known as Wŏnsanjin ( 元山津 ) , Port Lazarev , and Gensan ( 元山 ) , is a port city and naval base located in Kangwŏn Province , North Korea , along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula , on East Sea and the provincial capital . The port was opened by occupying Japanese forces in 1880 . Before the 1950-1953 Korean War , it fell within the jurisdiction of the then South Hamgyŏng province , and during the war it was the location of the Blockade of Wŏnsan . The population of the city was estimated at 329,207 in 2013. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam , diplomat and Secretary of the Korean Workers ' Party . In 2013 , it was announced that Wŏnsan would be converted into a summer destination with resorts and entertainment . Having spent his childhood years there , Kim Jong-un has expressed significant interest in further developing the region , with the construction of new infrastructure such as Kalma Airport , a dual-use civilian international airport and military proving ground . A state corporation , the Wonsan Zone Development Corporation , has been established with feasibility studies for a wide variety of hotels and commercial and industrial development .
Kangwon Province ( Kangwŏndo ; Korean pronunciation : [ kaŋ.wʌn.do ] ) is a province of North Korea , with its capital at Wŏnsan . Before the division of Korea in 1945 , Kangwŏn Province and its South Korean neighbour Gangwon Province ( also spelled Kangwon Province sometimes ) formed a single province that excluded Wŏnsan .
Sinŭiju ( Korean pronunciation : [ si.nɰi.dzu ] ) ; 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 .
North Pyongan Province ( Phyŏnganbukto ; Korean pronunciation : [ pʰjʌŋ.an.buk̚.t͈o ] , also spelled North P'yŏngan ) , written before 1925 in English as Yeng Byen ) is a western province of North Korea . The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former P'yŏng'an Province , remained a province of Korea until 1945 , then became a province of North Korea . Its capital is Sinŭiju . In 2002 , Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region - near the city of Sinuiju - was established as a separately governed Special Administrative Region . [ citation needed ]
Tanch'ŏn ( Korean pronunciation : [ tan.tsʰʌn ] ) is a port city in northeastern South Hamgyŏng province , North Korea . It has a population of approximately 360,000 . Tanch'ŏn borders the Sea of Japan ( East Sea of Korea ) , into which the Namdae River flows .
Kaech'ŏn or Kaechon ( US : /ˈɡeɪtʃʌn/ GAY-chun , Korean : [ kɛtsʰʌn ] ; Hangul : 개천시 , Hanja : 价川市 ) is a city in South P'yŏngan province , North Korea .
South Pyongan Province ( Phyŏngannamdo ; Korean pronunciation : [ pʰjʌŋ.an.nam.do ] ) is a province of North Korea . The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Pyongan Province , remained a province of Korea until 1945 , then became a province of North Korea . Its capital is Pyongsong .
Kaesong [ a ] ( UK : /keɪˈsɒŋ/ kay-SONG , US : /keɪˈsɔːŋ , ˈkeɪsɔːŋ , ˈɡeɪsʌŋ/ kay-SAWNG , KAY-sawng , GAY-sung , Korean : [ kɛsʌŋ ] ) is a city in North Hwanghae Province in the southern part of North Korea , a former Directly Governed City and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty . The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close to the border with South Korea and contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace . Called Songdo while it was the ancient capital of Goryeo , the city prospered as a trade centre that produced Korean ginseng . Kaesong now functions as the DPRK 's light industry centre . During the Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945 , the city was known by the Japanese pronunciation of its name , Kaijō . Between 1945 and 1950 , Kaesong was part of South Korea and under its control . The 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement left the city under North Korean control . It is the only city to have changed hands as a result of the armistice agreement . Due to the city 's proximity to the border with South Korea , Kaesong has hosted cross-border economic exchanges between the two countries as well as the jointly run Kaesong Industrial Region . As of 2009 , the city had a population of 192,578 .
Sariwŏn ( Korean pronunciation : [ sa.ɾi.wʌn ] ) is the capital of North Hwanghae Province , North Korea .
North Hwanghae Province ( Hwanghaebuk-to ; Korean pronunciation : [ hwaŋ.ɦɛ.buk̚.t͈o ] , lit . north Yellow Sea province ) is a province of North Korea . The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae . The provincial capital is Sariwon . The province is bordered by Pyongyang and South Pyongan to the north , Kangwon to the east , Kaesong Industrial Region and South Korea 's Gyeonggi Province to the south , and South Hwanghae southwest . In 2003 , Kaesong Directly Governed City ( Kaesong Chikhalsi ) became part of North Hwanghae .