Ch'ongch'on River
Location of the Ch'ongch'on River
Location
Countries	North Korea (PRK)
Physical characteristics
Source	Rangrim Mountains
• coordinates	40°25′30″N 126°43′10″E / 40.42500°N 126.71944°E / 40.42500; 126.71944
Mouth	Yellow Sea
• coordinates	39°34′38″N 125°25′59″E / 39.57722°N 125.43306°E / 39.57722; 125.43306
Length	217 km (135 mi)

The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn is a river in North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea at Sinanju. The river flows past Myohyang-san and through the city of Anju, South P'yŏngan Province. Its total length is 217 km (135 mi), and it drains a basin of 9,553 km² (3,688 sq mi).

History

In 612, at the Battle of Salsu (Salsa - the former name of the Cheongcheong River), the troops of the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo utterly defeated the Chinese army of the Sui Empire that had invaded Korea.

In November–December 1950, in the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River, detachments of the Korean People's Army and Chinese volunteers won a major victory over the troops of the Americans and their allies during the Korean War.

Important Bird Area

The river's estuary has been identified by BirdLife International as an 8000 ha (19,768 acre) Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports significant numbers of the populations of various bird species. These include swan geese, bean geese, whooper swans, Oriental storks, black-faced spoonbills, Chinese egrets, great bustards, white-naped cranes, hooded cranes, red-crowned cranes, Far Eastern curlews and spotted greenshanks. The site includes the 800 ha (1,977 acre) Mundok Nature Reserve.^[1]

Hydroelectric dams

North Korea is building 10 new hydroelectric dams on the Chongchon River to spur rapid development.^[2]

Incidents

• In 612, Goguryeo massacred the Sui army at the Battle of Salsu (Ch'ongch'on) River in the Goguryeo-Sui Wars.
• In late November 1950, in the Korean War, the Chinese army decisively defeated the UNC forces at the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River , ensuring the continued existence of North Korea.
• U.S. Army defector Joseph T. White was reported to have drowned in the Ch'ongch'on River, according to a letter dated 22 August 1985 which had been sent to his family.