Sinuiju
North Korea · Asia
About Sinuiju
Sinŭiju is a city in North Korea which faces Dandong, Liaoning, China, across the international border of the Yalu River. It is the capital of North P'yŏngan province. Part of the city is included in the planned Sinŭiju Special Administrative Region, which was proclaimed in 2002 and intended to experiment with introducing a market economy. In recent years the city has seen increasing tourism from China.
Sinŭiju is bordered by the Amnok River, and by P'ihyŏn and Ryongch'ŏn counties. The city's altitude is 1 metre (4 feet) above sea level. There are several islands at the mouth of the Amnok River - Wihwa-do, Rim-do, Ryuch'o-do and Tongryuch'o-do.
Sinuiju city is the heart of the Sinuiju Special Administrative Region. The city is currently divided into 49 tong (neighbourhoods) and 9 ri (villages):
Developed as a major settlement during Japanese colonial rule at the terminus of a railway bridge across the Amrok River, Sinuiju is located 11 km (7 miles) south by southwest of Ŭiju, the old city from whose name Sinŭiju (meaning “New Ŭiju”) derives. As an open port, it grew commercially...
Sinuiju travel guide
Understand
Sinuiju is the main border city with China on the Yalu river (which marks the border). The large Chinese city of Dandong is literally within walking distance over the bridge. Given that it represents the main trading and transportation hub between the two countries it is relatively easy to observe.
Getting there
1 Sinuiju Station is an important stop between Pyongyang and Beijing. Entry is theoretically possible by foot over the 2 Sino-Korea Friendship Bridge from the Chinese border city of Dandong, although this option is mostly limited to Chinese citizens with appropriate visas. A small 3 Airport exists that sometimes takes flights from Pyongyang. The airport in Dandong over the border will have a more reliable schedule and more accessible connections. A way "to get into" North Korea without actually passing border controls is to take an excursion boat from the Chinese city of Dandong. These boats are apparently allowed within a few metres of the coastline as long as nobody actually gets off.
See
1 Sinuiju Bridge. Bombed by the United States during the Korean War, only half of this bridge remains standing next to the newer friendship bridge. (updated Mar 2015)
Do
1 Ferris wheel. With 14 colourful gondolas in a small park with two smaller rides, this eerie Ferris wheel, which is seldom if ever in operation, is an easy-to-spot landmark. (updated Mar 2015)
Go next
Dandong on the Chinese side of the border
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.