Wonsan

Wŏnsan 원산시
Municipal City
Korean transcription(s)
• Chosŏn'gŭl	원산시
• Hancha	元山市
• McCune-Reischauer	Wŏnsan-si
• Revised Romanization	Wonsan-si
Clockwise from top: view of Wonsan, Wonsan Department Store, view from Tongymyong Hotel, view of Wonsan port, street in Wonsan, Songdowon International Children's Union Camp
Map of Kangwon showing the location of Wonsan
Wŏnsan Location within North Korea
Coordinates: 39°08′51″N 127°26′46″E / 39.14750°N 127.44611°E / 39.14750; 127.44611
Country	North Korea
Province	Kangwŏn
Region	Kwandong, Kwannam (before 1946)
Settled	c. 1800
Divisions	45 dong, 14 ri
Area
• Total	269 km2 (104 sq mi)
Population  (2008)
• Total	363,127
Time zone	UTC+9 (Pyongyang Time)

Wonsan (Korean pronunciation: [wʌn.san]), previously known as Wonsanjin (元山津), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. The port was opened by occupying Japanese forces in 1880. Before the 1950–1953 Korean War, it fell within the jurisdiction of the then South Hamgyong province, and during the war, it was the location of the Blockade of Wonsan. The population of the city was estimated at 329,207 in 2013. Notable people from Wonsan include Kim Ki-nam, a diplomat and former Vice Chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

In 2013, it was announced that Wonsan would be converted into a summer destination with resorts and entertainment.^[1] Having spent his childhood years there, Kim Jong Un has expressed significant interest in developing the region, with the construction of new infrastructure such as Kalma Airport, a dual-use civilian international airport and military proving ground. A state corporation, the Wonsan Zone Development Corporation, has been established with feasibility studies for a wide variety of hotels and commercial and industrial development.^[2]