Wihwa Island (Korean: 위화도/威化島, Wihwado, Chinese: 威化島) is a river island in the Yalu river, lying on the border between North Korea and China. It is now under the effective jurisdiction of North Korea, due to ethnic Koreans living on the island at the time of the 1962 border treaty.[1]

Wihwa Island
Wihwa Island is located in North Korea
Wihwa Island
Wihwa Island
Geography
LocationYalu River
Coordinates40°08′13″N 124°26′46″E / 40.137°N 124.446°E / 40.137; 124.446,
Administration
CountySindo County
ProvinceNorth P'yŏngan
Demographics
Ethnic groupsKoreans

Map

Wihwa Island is historically well known for being where General Yi Songgye decided, in 1392, to turn back his army southward to Kaesong in the first of a series of revolts that eventually led to the establishment of the Yi Dynasty.[1]

In June 2011, an agreement with China was made to establish a joint free trade area on Hwanggumpyong and Wihwa Islands, and the China border area near Dandong.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Jeong Woo-sang (10 June 2011). "What Is Hwanggumpyong Island?". Digital Chosun. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  2. ^ Robert Kelley; Michael Zagurek; Bradley O. Babson (19 February 2012). "China'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.