Rason

Uncommon card · No. 178409

Rason (formerly Rajin-Sŏnbong; Korean pronunciation: [ɾa.sʌ̹n, ɾa.dʑin.sʰʌ̹n.boŋ]) is a North Korean special city and ice-free port in the Sea of Japan in the North Pacific Ocean on the northeast tip of North Korea. It is in the Kwanbuk region and location of the Rason Special Economic Zone. In South Korean pronunciation, the initial "R" of the name is pronounced as "N" (나선, Naseon) as per standard Korean phonology. In 2000, the name was shortened from "Rajin-Sŏnbong" to "Rason". During the 1930s, the Japanese called it Rashin; at that time, it was an important port at the end of a railroad line. It fell under the control of the Red Army on 14 August 1945. Before 1991, Rason was used by the Soviet Union as an alternative warm-water port in case Vladivostok was unavailable. The Soviet naval facilities were built starting in 1979. From 1993 to 2004, it was administered separately from North Hamgyŏng as the directly governed city (chikhalsi) of Rason. Prior to 1993 and from 2004 to 2009, the...

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