Yalu River

Coordinates: 39°52′N 124°19′E

The Yalu River, known by Koreans as the Amrok River or

Amnok River, is a river on the border between China and Amnok, Yalu
North Korea. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a Amrok, Amnok ( 압록강; 鴨綠江)
small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border
between China and North Korea. Its valley became the scene
of several military conflicts in the past centuries.

Name
The Korean name Amnok ( 압록 鴨綠
, ) is most likely derived
from ancient Koreanic language of Goguryeo. In the record of
Goguryeo in Samguk Sagi, the place name, Western Amnok
valley ( 서압록곡 西鴨淥谷, ) appears, and this is an example of
indicating that this was originally a place name used for this
river by Goguryeo at that time.

There are two theories regarding the origin of Yalu river name.
One theory is that the name derived from Yalu ula ( ) in
ᠶᠠᠯᡠ ᠶᠠᠯᡠ
ᡠᠯᠠ

the Manchu language. The Manchu word yalu ( ) means

"the boundary between two countries". In Mandarin Chinese,

yālù phonetically approximates the original Manchu word, but
literally means "duck green", which was said to have been
once the color of the river. The other theory is that the river was Location of the Yalu River
named after the combination of its two upper branches, which
鴨 綠
were called " " (Yā or Ap) and " " (Lù or R(or n)ok)", Etymology Manchu, "the boundary
between two countries"
respectively.

Revised Romanization of Korean spelled it Amnokgang

Native name 鸭绿江 (Chinese)
ᠶᠠᠯᡠ ᡠᠯᠠ

(Korean pronunciation:  [amnok.k͈aŋ]; "Amnok River") and  (Manchu)

Revised Romanization of Hangeul spelled it Aprokgang
(Korean pronunciation:  [amnok.k͈aŋ]; "Aprok River").
압록강 (Korean)
Geography Location
Countries China (PRC) and North
From 2,500 metres above sea level on Paektu Mountain on the
Korea (PRK)
China–North Korea border, the river flows south to Hyesan
before sweeping 130 km north-west to Linjiang and then Provinces Jilin (PRC), Liaoning
(PRC), Ryanggang
returning to a more southerly route for a further 300 km to
(PRK), Chagang (PRK),
empty into Korea Bay between Dandong (China) and Sinuiju North Pyongan (PRK),
(North Korea). The bordering Chinese provinces are Jilin and Sinuiju SAR (PRK)
Liaoning. Physical characteristics

The river is 795 kilometers (494  mi) long and receives water Source South of Heaven Lake,
from over 30,000 km2 of land. The Yalu's most significant PRC-DPRK border,
장진강 長津江
tributaries are the Changjin ( ; ), the Hochon ( 허 Paektu Mountain
천강 虛川江
; 독로강 禿魯江
), the Togro ( ; ) rivers from Korea  • coordinates 41°58′8″N 128°4′24″E
and the Ai (or Aihe) ( 璦河 浑江
) and the Hun ( ) from China. Mouth Korea Bay
The river is not easily navigable for most of its length.[1] Most
 • coordinates 39°52′N 124°19′E
of the river freezes during winter and can be crossed on foot.[2]
Length 790 km (490 mi)
The depth of the Yalu River varies from some of the more
shallow parts on the eastern side in Hyesan (1 meter (3 ft 3 in)) to Yalu River
the deeper parts of the river near the Yellow Sea (2.5 meters (8 ft Chinese name
2  in)).[3] The estuary is the site of the Amrok River estuary Traditional Chinese 鴨綠江
Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife
International.[4] Simplified Chinese 鸭绿江
Transcriptions
About 205 islands are on the Yalu. A 1962 border treaty between
North Korea and China split the islands according to which ethnic Standard Mandarin
group was living on each island. North Korea possesses 127 and Hanyu Pinyin Yālù Jiāng
China 78. Due to the division criteria, some islands such as Wade–Giles Ya1-lu4 Chiang1
Hwanggumpyong Island belong to North Korea, but abut the
IPA [jálû tɕjáŋ]
Chinese side of the river.
Wu

History Romanization Ah平 loe去 kaon平

Yue: Cantonese
The river basin is the site where Goguryeo rose to power. Many Jyutping Aap3 luk6 gong1
former fortresses are located along the river and the former capital IPA [ʔáːplʊ̀kkɔ́ːŋ]
of that kingdom was situated at what is now the medium-sized city
of Ji'an along the Yalu, a site rich in Goguryeo era relics.[5] Wihwa Korean name
Island on the river is historically famous as the place where, in Chosŏn'gŭl 압록강
1388, General Yi Songgye (later Taejo of Joseon) decided to turn
back his army southward to Kaesong in the first of a series of Hancha 鴨綠江
revolts that eventually led to the establishment of the Joseon Transcriptions
dynasty.[6] Revised Romanization Amnokgang

The river has been the site of several battles because of its strategic McCune–Reischauer Amnokkang
location between Korea and China, including: Manchu name
ᠶᠠᠯᡠ
ᡠᠯᠠ

Manchu script
Battle of the Yalu River (1894) – First Sino-Japanese
War
Romanization Yalu ula
Battle of Yalu River (1904) – Russo-Japanese War
Battle near to the Yalu River (1950) – Korean War

The southern side of the river was heavily industrialized during the period of Japanese rule (1910–1945),
and by 1945 almost 20% of Japan's total industrial output originated in Korea.
During the Korean War, the movement of United Nations troops
approaching the river precipitated massive Chinese intervention
from around Dandong. In the course of the conflict every bridge
across the river except one was destroyed. The one remaining
bridge was the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge connecting Sinuiju,
North Korea to Dandong, China. During the war the valley
surrounding the western end of the river also became the focal
point of a series of dogfights for air supremacy over North Korea,
earning the nickname "MiG Alley" in reference to the MiG-15
fighters flown by the combined North Korean, Chinese, and Soviet The Yalu River at Ji'an, Jilin
forces.[7] As UN forces during the Korean War advanced toward
the Yalu, China under Chairman Mao Zedong entered the war on
the side of North Korea.[8]

The river has frequently been crossed by North Koreans fleeing to China since the early 1990s, although
the Tumen River remains the most-used way for such refugees.[9]

According to one scholar, the Korean-Chinese border along the Yalu River is the longest unchanged
international border in history, lasting for at least 1,000 years.[10][11][12]

The pillar stubs of the Yalu The Sino–Korean Friendship

River Broken Bridge between Bridge across the Yalu
Dandong and Sinuiju, which (Amnokgang) linking Sinuiju
was established in 1911 and and Dandong.
destroyed during the Korean
War. The bridge to the left is the
Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge,
which opened to traffic in 1943
and also fell to destruction by
US aerial attacks during the war
but was successfully repaired
after 1953 (direction of photo
looking south into North Korea).

Economy
The river is important for hydroelectric power, and one of the largest hydroelectric dams in Asia is in
Sup'ung Dam, 106 metres high and over 850 metres long, located upstream from Sinuiju, North Korea.
The dam has created an artificial lake over a portion of the river, called Supung Lake. In addition, the river
is used for transportation, particularly of lumber from its forested
banks. The river provides fish for the local population.
Downstream of Sup'ung is the Taipingwan Dam. Upstream of
Sup'ung is the Unbong Dam. Both dams produce hydroelectric
power, as well.

In the river delta upstream from Dandong and adjacent to Hushan

are several North Korean villages. Economic conditions in these The Yalu near the Unbong Dam
villages have been described as poor, without access to
electricity.[13]

Crossings
Ji'an Yalu River Border Railway Bridge, Ji'an China – Manp'o, North Korea
New Yalu River Bridge, under construction between Dandong, China and Sinŭiju, North
Korea
Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, Dandong, China – Sinŭiju, North Korea

See also
Chairman Mao
The Hermit Kingdom and The Red Dragon
Kim–Xi meetings
Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge
China–North Korea border
Geography of China
Geography of North Korea

References
1. "Sediments in Korea Bay and Incheon Bay, North and South Korea" (https://web.archive.org/
web/20120105042921/http://www.eosnap.com/tag/yalu-river/). www.eosnap.com. March 25,
2011. Archived from the original (http://www.eosnap.com/tag/yalu-river/) on January 5, 2012.
Retrieved July 6, 2021.
2. "A trip to the North Korea-China border, in photos" (https://www.nknews.org/2015/05/a-trip-to
-the-north-korea-china-border-in-photos/). NK News. 29 May 2015.
3. "Yalu River | river, Asia" (https://www.britannica.com/place/Yalu-River). Encyclopedia
Britannica. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
4. "Amrok River estuary" (http://www.birdlife.org). Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife
International. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
5. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo
Kingdom" (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1135/). UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
6. Jeong Woo-sang (10 June 2011). "What Is Hwanggumpyong Island?" (http://english.chosun.
com/site/data/html_dir/2011/06/10/2011061001158.html). Digital Chosun. Retrieved 1 March
2012.
7. Budiansky, Stephen (2016). Code warriors : NSA's codebreakers and the secret intelligence
war against the Soviet Union (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/922630824). New York.
ISBN 978-0-385-35266-6. OCLC 922630824 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/922630824).
 8. Zhang, Shu Guang, October 31- (1995). Mao's military romanticism : China and the Korean
War, 1950-1953 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/32510849). Lawrence: University Press of
Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-0723-4. OCLC 32510849 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/32510849).
9. "What North Korean Defectors Think Of North Korea | STAY CURIOUS #1" (https://www.you
tube.com/watch?v=DyqUw0WYwoc). Archived (https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20
211211/DyqUw0WYwoc) from the original on 2021-12-11 – via www.youtube.com.
10. "Oldest border in the world" (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2021/07/739_28729
9.html). koreatimes. Apr 5, 2020.
11. "외국인 할아버지가 한국인에게 경복궁 투어를 첫번째 밋업 ?! ! ( Dr. Peterson's First Meet-up!
Palace Tour)" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4s2it6HVE). Archived (https://ghostarchi
ve.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/sc4s2it6HVE) from the original on 2021-12-11 – via
www.youtube.com.
12. "하버드 한국학자가 말하는 한국은 평화로운 역사를 가진 나라 소개편 ?! Peaceful Korea -
Introduction" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHRaYuHP4A). Archived (https://ghostarc
hive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/kBHRaYuHP4A) from the original on 2021-12-11 – via
www.youtube.com.
13. "We took a boatride on the Yalu River across the Sino-Korean Border. Here's what we saw"
(http://visitthedprk.org/north-korea-dandong-yalu-river-boatride/). visitthedprk.org. 27
November 2017.

External links
Encyclopædia Britannica (http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9077749/Yalu-River)
"Ya-lu-kiang"  (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_International_Encyclop%C3%A6dia/
Ya-lu-kiang). New International Encyclopedia. 1905.

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