The Beautiful Sangwon Ravine - DPRK

The Sangwon Ravine is on the southern slopes of Popwang and Oson peaks in Mt. Myohyang. It was named after the old Sangwon Hermitage situated on a slope of the ravine.

Up the ravine from its mouth there is the Kumgang Falls. The stream flowing down the ravine falls over a narrow cliff to form the waterfall. It was named so because it is fascinatingly beautiful. On a high rock on the left of the falls stands the Kumgang Pavilion that commands a fine view of the surrounding scenery. Farther up from the Kumgang Falls you come to the Taeha Falls. Its name means that it lies at the base of Inho Rock. Water coming down from the Ryongyon Falls and the Sanju Falls joins to flow down over a precipice looking like steps to form the Taeha Falls.

Farther up, cliffs rise high in front of you, and on the left of the cliffs is the Ryongyon Falls, one of the largest waterfalls of the mountain. It is 84 metres high. On the rock overhanging the waterfall is the mysterious Ryong (dragon) Pool, which gave the waterfall its name. Water flowing down the ravine of Popwang Peak slides over a rock into the pool to fall over a cliff to form the Ryongyon Falls that looks like unrolled white silks hanging from the sky. Its water again falls down a high sloping cliff with a roaring sound. As a typically sloping waterfall, it falls sending silvery sprays up into the air. Up the water course of the waterfall there is a broad bedrock on which are inscribed the words Ryongyon and the letters sinsongulthaek unhadongchon that means “Is this a fairyland? Sprays are sent up into the air,” a line of poem written by Yang Sa On, a 16th century writer.

Fifty metres away from the Ryongyon Falls there is the Sanju Falls. The two waterfalls flank the Sangwon Hermitage, so they are also called twin falls. Unlike the Ryongyon Falls, the Sanju Falls is an upright waterfall. The name of the waterfall means that it seems to throw up tens of thousands of beads into the air.

A little way up the water course from the Ryongyon Falls, towards Popwang Peak, there is the Chonsin Falls. Seen from Ryongju Peak on the east of the Sangwon Ravine, the waterfall looks like an unworldly man descending from the heaven. Hence the name Chonsin Falls. At a close range you can see the stream flowing over tiered cliffs.

By the Ryongyon Falls opposite the Sangwon Hermitage there rises a high and large rock called Inho Rock. The name of the rock derived from the tale about a tiger that showed a traveler the way up to the hermitage from below the Ryongyon Falls. The rock looking like a long ship singularly protrudes from the southwest edge of the precipitous cliff of the Ryongyon Falls. Grand and singular and topping a 200-metre-high cliff, the rock is famous as a splendid look-out platform. On the rock stands a pavilion that commands a fine view of the ravine. From the pavilion one can see three waterfalls of different forms at the same time. It is a sight rarely to be seen elsewhere. From olden times it has been noted as one of the eight fine sceneries of Myohyang Mountain. The surrounding scenery is as beautiful as a landscape picture with the Sangwon Hermitage in thick foliage and large waterfalls cascading down with roaring sounds over steep cliffs before and behind the hermitage.

The view of the moon from the Pulyong Cell is also noted as another of the eight scenic beauties of the mountain. The Pulyong Cell is an old building situated beyond two low ridges east of the hermitage. Beside the Sangwon Hermitage, there is the Nungin Hermitage in the Sangwon Ravine. Of all hermitages on the mountain, it is placed highest, backed by famous Popwang Peak that consists of precipices without a single tree. Flanked by Oson Peak to the east and Kwanum Peak to the west, Popwang Peak is a mass of rocks of myriad shapes.

A little way up to the east of the Sangwon Hermitage there is a long rock called Ryonggak Rock because it looks like a dragon’s horn. Several pine trees growing on the curiously shaped rock add to its attraction. Go round the rock and you will come to the Chuksong Temple on an elevation. The temple has the best mural paintings in the Mt. Myohyang area.

With a crystal-clear stream running down over clean stones between large fantastic rocks in thick forests to form waterfalls and blue pools, soaring peaks with fine views, and old buildings on scenic spots, the Sangwon Ravine is noted for its beautiful scenery in the mountain. So, the ravine with its wonderful scenic beauty is well-known in the world.

Choe Ryong Hae Makes Field Survey of Turf Research Institute

Choe Ryong Hae, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, made a field survey of the reconstruction of the Turf Research Institute of the State Academy of Sciences.

He encouraged the soldier-builders making innovations in the reconstruction project, true to the high intention of the dear respected Supreme Commander Marshal Kim Jong Un.

He learnt in detail about the construction and supply of building-materials, underscoring the need to introduce rational construction methods suitable for the winter season so as to speed up the project in a qualitative way.

He told the commanding officers and soldier-builders to properly direct the project and display again the soldier spirit and stamina, bearing in mind the deep trust of the Supreme Commander in them.

Then he discussed completing the Choe Ryong Hae, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, made a field survey of the reconstruction of the Turf Research Institute of the State Academy of Sciences.

He encouraged the soldier-builders making innovations in the reconstruction project, true to the high intention of the dear respected Supreme Commander Marshal Kim Jong Un.

He learnt in detail about the construction and supply of building-materials, underscoring the need to introduce rational construction methods suitable for the winter season so as to speed up the project in a qualitative way.

He told the commanding officers and soldier-builders to properly direct the project and display again the soldier spirit and stamina, bearing in mind the deep trust of the Supreme Commander in them.

Then he discussed completing the project ahead of the schedule. roject ahead of the schedule.

DPRK Strives to Protect Biodiversity

[nggallery id=70]The Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government consider the protection of natural environment as one of the patriotic works for the nation's prosperity.

In the country there are many nature conservations and sanctuaries, including areas of Mts. Paektu, Myohyang and Oga. And rare and extinctive animals and plants are designated as natural monuments.

The days from November to next March each year are set as a period for protection of forests and underground resources and the days from March to July as a period for protection of useful animals.

The government has built many nurseries and farms for saplings, fries and such animals as pheasant and roe deer throughout the country.

We'll work harder to improve the nation's natural environment and conserve natural resources while stepping up international exchanges and cooperation for protection of biodiversity.

Servicepersons Perform Heroic Feats in Projects of Renovating Parks and Face-lifting Rivers in Pyongyang

[nggallery id=61]The Korean Central News Agency released a detailed report on Nov. 17 about the heroic feats performed by servicepersons of the Korean People's Army in the projects of renovating parks and face-lifting rivers in Pyongyang.

According to it, servicepersons created a heroic epic of bringing about a new prosperity of Pyongyang through the drive of sprucing it up into a worldwide city and a center of Songun culture in the revolutionary soldier spirit and with matchless patriotic dedication for recent 40 odd days, true to the noble outlook of Supreme Commander Marshal Kim Jong Un on the country and the people.

They gave full play to the spirit of devotedly implementing the orders of the supreme commander in the project of improving the bank of Hapjang River.

They removed over 280 000 cubic meters of mud and repaired and washed the retaining walls of 18 000 square meters and rearranged the area covering more than 250 000 square meters and planted turf there, repaired and painted floodgates, bridges and intakes and completed all other tasks in just six days.

They fully displayed the militant spirit of the revolutionary army in the project of improving the bank of Pothong River.

They finished the project of face-lifting Pothong River including dredging and delivering of more than 800 000 cubic meters of sludge, laying of more than 32 000 square meters of retaining walls, arrangement of at least 90 000 square meters of the area and creating of woodland and greenery there in a matter of nine days.

During the project they repaired more than 70 resting places, 20 odd buildings and hundreds of meters of fences and planted trees and arranged the area qualitatively.

They repaired the areas around revolutionary monuments, produced thousands of sidewalk blocks and covered with them a park, promenade and spring in Ryonghung area and released fry in the river.

In the wake of finishing the dredging of Pothong River and the improvement of its bank they entered the drive of renovating parks in Pyongyang.

At the Puksae Park they arranged the area in a day and built the highest-level park on the vacant land in over 20 days.

16 000 cubic meters of earth were dug out, the ground level was raised, pavement blocks laid, turf and trees planted and the skate park and general sports ground built at the Sanghung Children's Park in a matter of some days.

At the Taedongmun Park servicepersons gave priority to the provision of building materials including sand mixed with gravel and cement and pushed forward the pavement of 300 odd square meters of concrete and coal-tar and the work for setting up dozens of sports and amusement facilities in a three-dimensional way and by the finish-one-by-one method.

Thanks to their devoted efforts five sports grounds and two auxiliary buildings were built, various kinds of benches set up and thousands of square meters of the area were greened at the Pothonggang Park.

The Thapje and Chongryu parks covering more than 15 000 square meters have been successfully renovated.

Hundreds of meters of fences were laid and 21 building tasks were carried out in ten days and 4 400 square meters of roadway blocks were laid and 16 sports grounds were paved with concrete and areas arranged in a week.

Servicepersons spruced up the Ryonmot Park which amounts to 30 percent of all the park project area in Pyongyang, and the Samma and West Pyongyang parks equipped with service facilities.

The Ryugyong Park in which 3 000 square meters of turf were planted in two days and the Kumransom Park are associated with the feats of the servicepersons determined to provide the people with better cultural and resting places.

They created woodland and greenery, built volleyball, basketball and badminton courts and skate parks and other dozens of sports grounds and set up more than one hundred of amusement and fitness facilities in 18 parks in Pyongyang in just 25 days.

Typhoon-15 to Hit Korea

Typhoon-15 is moving northwest at a velocity of 30 kilometers per hour. With 960 hPa in the center, it has the maximum wind speed of 38 meters per second. It has a radius of 300 kilometers with wind of over 25 meters per second and a radius of 650 kilometers with wind of over 15 meters per second.

The typhoon is expected to reach the sea off South Chungchong at around 15:00 Tuesday and the west coast of South Hwanghae Province at around 21:00 Tuesday before moving northeast. Most areas of Korea will experience wind of 10 to 20 meters per second, over 25 meters per second to the maximum, from Tuesday mourning to next morning, accompanied by heavy rain.

Wind of 20 to 25 meters per second, over 30 meters per second to the maximum, will sweep the West and East Sea of Korea, generating 5 to 7-meter-high waves in the seas. A tidal wave is forecast on the east coast of Korea and the coast of Hwanghae Province.