How to Pronounce Ch'ŏngjin

Meaning and Context

Ch'ŏngjin, often referred to as "The City of Iron," is a major industrial metropolis and the capital of North Hamgyong Province in northeastern North Korea. Founded as a fishing village, its strategic location on the Sea of Japan (East Sea) propelled its development into the nation's third-largest city and a critical industrial center under Japanese colonial rule, a legacy that continued post-liberation. The city is the heart of North Korea's steel production, centered on the massive Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex, and hosts significant shipbuilding, chemical, and textile manufacturing. As a key port city, Ch'ŏngjin's harbor facilitates both domestic freight and limited international trade, making it a vital economic hub. The city's landscape is defined by its industrial might, with a backdrop of rugged mountains, and it serves as an important cultural and educational center for the region, home to the Ch'ŏngjin University of Technology.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary spelling, Ch'ŏngjin, follows the McCune-Reischauer romanization system, which uses the apostrophe and breve diacritic to denote the Korean consonant ㅊ (chieut) and the vowel ㅓ (eo), respectively. In the increasingly prevalent Revised Romanization of Korean, the city's name is spelled Cheongjin, without the diacritics. Common misspellings and typos arise from omitting the apostrophe or misplacing it, resulting in errors like Chongjin or Ch'ongjin. The diacritic on the 'o' is also frequently omitted or misinterpreted, leading to variants such as Cheongjin (which is technically correct under Revised Romanization) or incorrect forms like Chong'jin. Users searching for information may also encounter the historical or alternative designation Seishin, its Japanese name from the colonial period, though this is not a contemporary spelling error.

Example Sentences

Due to its strategic importance, access to Ch'ŏngjin is heavily restricted for foreign visitors, unlike the more open capital of Pyongyang.

The economic output of the Kim Chaek steelworks in Ch'ŏngjin is considered a critical indicator of the region's industrial health.

Researchers studying North Korea's infrastructure often analyze satellite imagery of Ch'ŏngjin's port to gauge maritime activity and trade patterns.

In historical accounts of the Korean War, Ch'ŏngjin is noted as a significant target for aerial bombardment because of its manufacturing capabilities.

Travel writers who have managed to visit describe Ch'ŏngjin's atmosphere as markedly more austere and functional than other North Korean cities, living up to its nickname, The City of Iron.

Related Pronunciations

• How to pronounce Changwon
• How to pronounce Seoul
• How to pronounce Yangyang
• How to pronounce Daegu
• How to pronounce Cheongju