North Hwanghae Province 황해북도
Province
Korean transcription(s)
• Chosŏn'gŭl	황해북도
• Hancha	黃海北道
• McCune-Reischauer	Hwanghaebuk-to
• Revised Romanization	Hwanghaebuk-do
Coordinates: 38°30′23.0″N 125°45′34.9″E / 38.506389°N 125.759694°E / 38.506389; 125.759694
Country	North Korea
Region	Haeso
Capital	Sariwon
Subdivisions	2 cities; 18 counties
Government
• Party Committee Chairman	Ryang Jong-hun[1] (WPK)
• Provincial Committee of the WPK	Pak Chang-ho[2]
• People's Committee Chairman	Im Hun[1]
Area
• Total	8,154 km2 (3,148 sq mi)
Population  (2008)
• Total	2,113,672
• Density	260/km2 (670/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Pyongyang Time)
Dialect	Hwanghae

North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghaebuk-to; Korean pronunciation: [ɸwa̠ŋ.ɦɛ.buk̚.t͈o̞], 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 as Kaepung County. Later on in 2019, it was promoted as Special City (Kaesong T'ŭkpyŏlsi). Thus, it was separated from North Hwanghae.

Administrative divisions

North Hwanghae is divided into 2 cities ("si") and 18 counties ("kun"). Three of these counties (Chunghwa, Kangnam, and Sangwon) were added to the province in 2010 after being split from Pyongyang.^[3] However, Kangnam was returned to Pyongyang in 2011.^[4]

Cities

• Sariwon (capital)
  사리원시/沙里院市
• Songrim
  송림시/松林市

Counties

Transportation

North Hwanghae is connected to the rest of the country by way of the Pyongbu Railway Line (known in South Korea as the Kyongui Line), which, in theory, runs from Pyongyang to Pusan; however, in reality, the line is cut short by the Korean Demilitarized Zone. It is also served by several large highways, most notably the Pyongyang-Kaesong Motorway.

Education

There are several higher-level educational institutions in North Hwanghae, all government-run. These include the Kye Ung Sang Sariwon University of Agriculture, the Sariwon University of Geology, and the Sariwon Teachers University.

Culture

Historic landmarks

North Hwanghae has many historical relics as the site of the Koryo-dynasty capital at Kaesong, a depository for many famous historic relics. The province is also home to the tombs of many of the Koryo monarchs, the most famous being the tombs of kings Taejo and Kongmin, though others are spread throughout Kaesong and Kaepung county. Kaesong also houses the Koguryo-era Taehungsan Fortress, built to protect the kingdom's capital at Pyongyang and enclosing the famous Kwanum Temple. Nearby to Sariwin is the famous Jongbangsan Fortress, another Koguryo satellite for the defense of Pyongyang. This fortress encompasses the 9th-century Songbulsa Buddhist temple, one of the oldest and most picturesque in the country.