Mysterious Military Industry City Manpo (1) Charcoal Cars Emitting White Smoke, Tightly Closed Trading Point, and Military Checkpoints (9 Photos)

2024.11.22

Barbed wire fences are installed to prevent residents from crossing into China. The wooden fence below is called a "trace line" - designed to break if someone tries to climb over it, indicating if anyone has attempted to approach the border.

In mid-October, ASIAPRESS photographed Manpo city in North Korea's Jagang Province from across the river in Ji'an City, Jilin Province, China. Jagang Province is the center of North Korea's military industry. To maintain secrecy, residents from other regions are strictly controlled from entering Jagang Province, and defections are extremely rare. Recently, China has also strengthened controls preventing foreigners from approaching certain border areas near Ji'an. This report shows recent images of the mysterious Manpo, which is rarely talked about due to reporting difficulties. (By HONG Mari)

◆ "Mysterious" Appeal to Chinese Tourists, Foreigners Prohibited

Ji'an is a pastoral small city. Along with the Gwanggaeto Stele, a major tourist attraction, North Korea across the river is also considered a "tourist resource."

On the Chinese side, there are well-maintained walking paths and many restaurants. The mountain range on the right is North Korea. While tourist boats are available, telephoto camera photography is prohibited.

There's a connecting bridge between Manpo and Ji'an used as a trade crossing point for North Korea-China trade. While the area near the bridge offers distant views of Manpo's center and is a tourist spot, foreigners cannot purchase entry tickets and are prohibited from entering. Meanwhile, Chinese tourists are attracted with large signs promoting border tourism highlighting "Mysterious Country, Joseon (Korea)."

③A tourist sign at Ji'an's border. Below the warning "You have entered the border area. Please comply with border management regulations," there are prohibitions against speaking to or photographing the North Korean side.

A tourist sign at Ji'an's border. Below the warning "You have entered the border area. Please comply with border management regulations," there are prohibitions against speaking to or photographing the North Korean side.

The military industry is the core of Jagang Province's economy, with most residents reportedly working in military factories. The region's deep valley location makes it unsuitable for agriculture.

A large factory standing along the Yalu River in Manpo's outskirts. It appears to be a cement factory.

◆ Dangerous Flood Recovery Construction Sites, Uneven Log Scaffolding

In late July, heavy rains caused many deaths in Jagang Province. According to ASIAPRESS reporting partners residing in North Korea, the railway line (Northern Line) connecting Manpo and Hyesan suffered damage, including tracks being buried under landslides.

In Manpo's outskirts, construction of apartments for flood victims could be observed.

A four-story apartment building under construction. It was being built on an elevated location on a hillside. In front are trees knocked down by floods.

Looking through a super-telephoto lens, the scaffolding was made of untreated, uneven, and thin lumber. It appeared even more poorly constructed than the sites in Sinuiju and Uiju County in North Pyongan Province, where large-scale recovery construction was underway.

⑥Lights were on at the construction site. The mobilized workers appeared to be local residents. A woman in a red coat was seen sifting stones and sand through a screen.

Lights were on at the construction site. The mobilized workers appeared to be local residents. A woman in a red coat was seen sifting stones and sand through a screen.

◆ Chinese Trucks Converted to Run on Charcoal

There's a military checkpoint on the road leading to central Manpo. That day, a soldier could be seen checking residents' permits and inspecting vehicles one by one.

A man is showing what appears to be documents to a soldier at the checkpoint. A truck waits behind.

A charcoal-powered truck emitting white smoke was also spotted at the checkpoint. It's literally a vehicle that runs on charcoal fuel. The temporarily stopped truck was loaded with what appeared to be food supplies, soldiers were loading their winter uniforms, and people were seen climbing into the cargo area. The "FAW" maker's mark indicates the truck is Chinese-made. This suggests that in North Korea, where energy is scarce, they're deliberately converting imported Chinese vehicles to run on charcoal.

A Chinese-imported truck converted to run on charcoal. The soldier on the far right is carrying winter military uniforms. The sacks in the cargo area appear to be food supplies.

◆ Firmly Closed Trading Point - Has Exchange Stopped?

North Korea completely sealed its border with China in January 2020 citing coronavirus concerns, strictly prohibiting the movement of people and goods. Since summer 2023, major trading points like Sinuiju-Dandong and Hyesan-Changbai have confirmed the resumption of full-scale trade.

However, when the reporting team visited in October, the customs gate on the Ji'an side was firmly closed even on a weekday, with no signs of activity.