​The ‘Development of Northern Korea(Bukseon)’ in the 1930s and the Formation of Northern Korea’s Regional Identity

Author: ​Seo, Il-soo

Page: 225-270

​This article examines the “development of Northern Korea (Bukseon)” in the 1930s and the formation of regional identity that accompanied it. To this end, it first analyzes the expansion of transportation networks and the securing of electric power resources as two major regional factors. In Northern Korea, the construction of transportation infrastructure centered on the Hamgyeong Line, which had secured electric power supply, later enabled the formation of a railway network linking Manchuria and northern Korea. With Najin selected as the terminal port of the Gilhoe Line, it also became possible to use the North Hoesŏn Line from Tumen. The Northern Korea route functioned as a shortcut that  reduced by nearly half the time spent at sea compared to the previous route connecting Xinjing and Osaka via Dalian.

The utilization of inter-basin hydroelectric development became the principal source for securing large quantities of inexpensive electricity in Northern Korea during the 1930s. The most notable river was the Sŏngch’ŏn River system. The Pujŏn River Hydroelectric Project generated power by diverting water from the Pujŏn River into the Hŭngnim River, a tributary of the Sŏngch’ŏn River, while the  Changjin River Hydroelectric Project diverted water across the Hwangchoryŏng ​Pass into the main  stream of the Sŏngch’ŏn River. The Hŏch’ŏn River Hydroelectric Project, which blocked the flow of the Hŏch’ŏn River and redirected it into the Namdae Stream of Pukch’ŏng, as well as the Pujŏn Hydroelectric Project, which transferred water from Sŏngch’ŏnsu, a tributary of the Tumen River, into the Susŏng Stream, were also examples of inter-basin hydroelectric development in Northern Korea.

In addition, this article interprets the formation of Northern Korea’s regional identity in the 1930s through the concepts of Manchuria–Korea linkage and “the right industry in the right place” (jeokji jeogeop). Northern Korea was assigned the role of a strategic region linking Korea and Manchuria, with northeastern Manchuria serving as its hinterland. The hinterland of the three major ports of Northern Korea encompassed eastern and northern Manchuria east of the Labin Line and Binbei Line as its direct sphere of influence, while southern Manchuria to the west formed an indirect sphere of influence. Road construction projects associated with the Northern Korea development program were carried out mainly around Musan, and roads connecting the major industrial cities and the three major ports of Northern Korea to the Yalu and Tumen River border regions were successively

established. 

From the perspective of “the right industry in the right place,” Northern Korea became a heavy industrial zone utilizing electric power and natural resources. Factories in Northern Korea at the time employed electrolysis and synthetic chemical processes, while hardened oil combined with ammonium sulfate was used in the production of explosives. Lignite was utilized in the coal liquefaction industry. Refining techniques using high-frequency metallurgy were introduced, and light metal factories producing aluminum and magnesium were also established.​