Kaesong (pop. 192,578) is a commercial and industrial center in southern North Korea. The city’s industries produce porcelain, shoes, textiles, and other goods. Kaesong serves as a trading center for crops grown in the surrounding area, including barley, ginseng, rice, and wheat. Agricultural, medical, and teacher training colleges are located in the city. Kaesong’s landmarks include the tombs of several Korean kings, as well as the remains of city walls, Buddhist temples, and a royal palace.
In A.D. 919, Kaesong—then a small town—became the capital of the kingdom of Goryeo (also spelled Koryo), which began ruling the entire Korean Peninsula in 936. The kingdom ended in 1392, and the capital was moved to Seoul a few years later. In July 1951, Kaesong became the original site of the Korean War truce talks. The talks were moved to nearby Panmunjom in October. In 2004, some South Korean companies began operating factories staffed with North Korean workers at an industrial complex in Kaesong. The complex shut down for several months in 2013 when tensions between North and South Korea increased after the North conducted a nuclear test. The complex again shut down in early 2016 under similar circumstances.
