The Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly issued a decree in May 2013 on adopting the DPRK law on economic development zones and declared the establishment of EDZs in over 10 provinces and cities under the direct control of the government by decrees published in November 2013 and July 2014.

The North Hamgyong provincial economic development zone is one of them.

The province in the northeastern part of the country borders Northeast China with the River Tuman in between to the north and faces the East Sea of Korea to the east and south, with some of its northeastern part adjacent to Rason City.

With Rason, which was developed into the first economic and trade zone in the country, it is in an important geographical position that links three northeastern provinces of China, Europe, Japan and other Pacific countries.

The Chongjin economic development zone covers 3.7-square-kilometre area embracing parts of Wolpho-ri and Susong-dong and 1.7 square kilometres of Namsok-ri in Songphyong District, Chongjin.

It will specialize in metal processing, machine building, production and processing of building materials, electronic goods and light industry products, while conducting international freight transit with Chongjin Port as the base.

It plans to manufacture metal products of second and third stage processing with iron from the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex in the Namsok-ri area, make hydraulic and precision machines, robots, vehicles and other machines and electronic goods and equipment with metal products processed at machine-building, chemical and other factories and enterprises in Wolpho-ri, Susong-dong and Namsok-ri and establish some bases for the production of building materials and consumer goods and processing of exports.

It also intends to renovate Chongjin Port on a larger scale to boost bonded processing and trade through freight transit with Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces of China and other neighbouring countries. It will be built in the direction of increasing the proportion of technology-intensive processing industry by relying on abundant labour and scientific and technological resources around the development zone and, in future, developed into a complex EDZ comprising a high-tech development area and modern commercial service area.

The Orang agricultural development zone encompasses Ryongjon-ri and part of Puphyong-ri of Orang County with an area of four square kilometres.

A typical northern agricultural zone on the east coast of the country, it will be developed as a highly efficient agricultural base which focuses on agricultural research and production and which incorporates a modern food production cycle combining animal husbandry and fish farming.

It will be built as a model base for breeding and gathering seeds as well as a modern intensive animal husbandry base that relies on a food production cycle combining livestock, fruit and fish farming while introducing advanced methods of farming vegetables and flowers including water-saving and soilless cultivation in greenhouse.

Achievements in the building of an agricultural development zone in the experimental stage will be extended to the surrounding areas to additionally develop farming of fruits, especially the Orang area’s specialities of pear and plum, and fish farming and processing bases using water from nearby Lake Jangyon and the sea will be established.

The Onsong Island tourism development zone will be built as an exclusive holidaymaking and tourist service provider for foreigners with such facilities as golf course, bathing beach, racecourse and national food stalls.

Part of Onsong county town, North Hamgyong Province, on the opposite side of Liangshuiquanzi of Tumen City, Jilin Province of China, with the Tuman River in between, it takes up an area of 1.69 square kilometres.

As the island in the Tuman is nearer to China, it will provide favourable conditions for the traffic of personnel and materials necessary for its development and tourism when a border passage point between the DPRK and China is set up there.

The zone will be developed into a tourist destination furnished with accommodations, a holiday camp, a golf course and other amusement facilities.

Stalls will be set up in different parts of the island to serve tourists a variety of traditional Korean foods. Boats and other sightseeing means will be placed around the island to provide sightseeing service along the river.

Bridges will be built first on both sides of the island linking the two countries and a customs office, border control, quarantine and other facilities will be set up to ensure easy traffic.

The Kyongwon economic development zone will be built as a comprehensive EDZ involving the production of electronic goods and IT products, processing of marine products, food and garment processing industries as well as tourism.

It is located in Ryudasom-ri, Kyongwon County of North Hamgyong Province, covering an area of 1.91 square kilometres.

The EDZ on the island will provide favourable conditions for economic and trading activities in the area.

According to the master plan, the island will be divided into two parts, the upper half turning into an area for international commerce, tourism and exhibition and the lower half dedicated to the development industry.

The international commerce, tourism and exhibition area will comprise the sections for inspection, bonded goods, meeting and exhibition centre, eco-friendly greenhouse, food alley and folk architecture, and a holiday and health resort, while the development industry area will embrace the sections for high-tech and other industries.