Evening star., 1950-07-17
importance Of Pusan
Ito U. 5. Grows With
Each Day Of Fighting

vital to American forces with each
day of bitter fighting.
Department of Defense officials
have indicated that the bulk of
Gen. MacArthur's troops and sup
plies are entering Korea through
Pusan on the southeast coast. It
has the only good harbor rot held
by the enemy; moreover. ousan
is the southern terminus Of the
major railroad which is the trans
port lifeline of the defenders.
This key city has many aspects
of natural fortress. notes the
National Geographic Society. It
is enclosed by steep, bare hills
that crowd the coastline and
could be advantageous to a peri
meter defense. The commercial
heart of PuSan is CONSTRUCTED be-
tween the walls of one narrow
pass. Rugged terrain screens the
city so well that only a fraction
of it is visible even from the
waterfront.
The harbor itself also is well
protected by nature. Outside the
entrance is Mok To, an island
four miles long and a mile and a
half wide. which incoming ships
must skirt in order to reach an
chorage. There are two relatively
narrow passages between island
and mainland. and both are over
hung by high rock walls.
Listed as Fortified Area"
Current maps list Pusan and
its environs as a fortified area, a
status which the city has had in
varying degree for centuries. II
was old Korea's sentinel outpost
against the japanese, who tried
numerous thrusts there before
they succeeded in establishing a
well guarded trading post. In
modern times the japanese made
Pusan (then called Fusan) their
main point Of entry and devel-
oped its port and installations.
Modern Pusan is Korea's third
largest city. The 1910 census
placed its population at nearly
250.000. a total exceeded only
by the fallen capital of Seoul
and the northern metropolis of
Pyongyang. Since then estimates
give Pusan more than 300, 900 peo-
pie. Although the city is impor-
tant industrially, its growth is
due mainly to the excellent har-
Dor and good rail connections.
Only Big Port in U. S. Hands
PuSan's strategic Importance to
the United States military is en-
pnasize6 by the fact that it is the
only port in friendly hands which
viii take heavy-draft ships. It
aaS four good piers with lighters,
cranes and other equipment. Ad-
ditional berthing space is pro-
vlded by quays between the piers
Shipyards are available for re-
pairs to moderate sized vessels.
The piers and warehouses arc
connected by spur tracks to the
important double-track, standard
gauge railroad that runs from
Pusan northwest to Taegu, and
thence to Taejon, the provisional,
capital. to Seoul and beyond. It
is only III rail miles from Pusan
to Taegu, and 100 miles from
tnat point to Taejon.
Pusan has an oil refinery, tex
tile mills, a gas manufacturing
plant, and factories for the pro-
duction Of matches, rubber goods,
soap and other commodities
These enterprises. and the city's
many modern buildings, can be
attributed primarily to the Jap
anese. who placed emphasis on
the development of Pusan because
of its nearness to Japan, with
which it is linked by cable and
otner communications.
The city is located at the south.
east tip of the Korean coast. From
there it is only 1876 miles across
Korea Strait to the japanese port
Of Shimonoseki on the island of
Honshu. There has been no in
dication whether GI's have been
using Shimonoseki as a point of
embarkation for Korea, but it was
so used by the Japanese for many
years.
There are three other South
Korean ports which. though not
adequate for heavy ships or ex-
tensive traffic, may be Of some
help in the supply effort. These
are Masan and Yosu, on the
southern coast. and Mokpo on the
southwest. All three have single
track, standard gauge rail con-
nections with the interior.
Million Sneks of Elour