Wonsan

Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base located in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan (East Korean Sea) and the provincial capital. The port was opened by occupying Japanese forces in 1880. Before the Korean War (1950–1953), it fell within the jurisdiction of the then South Hamgyŏng province, and during that war, it was the location of the Blockade of Wŏnsan. The population of the city was estimated at 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party. Economically, the city is home to several major factories.

In 2013, it was announced that Wŏnsan will be converted into a summer destination with resorts and entertainment.

Name

Wonsan has also been known as Yonghunghang, Yuan shan in China, Genzan or Gensan in Japan, and Port Lazareva or Port Lazareff in Russia.

Geography

Wŏnsan's area is 269 square kilometres (104 sq mi). It is located in Kangwŏn Province, on the westernmost part of the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea) and the east end of the Korean peninsula's neck. Mt. Changdok (Changdok-san) and Mt. Nap'al (Nap'al-san) are located to the west of the city. More than 20 small islands flank Wŏnsan's immediate coastal area, including Hwangt'o Island and Ryŏ Island. Wŏnsan is considered an excellent natural port location. Kŭmgang-san mountain is located near Wŏnsan.

General Santos

General Santos, officially the City of General Santos (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Heneral Santos; Filipino: Lungsod ng Heneral Santos; previously known as Dadiangás, and abbreviated G.S.C. or GenSan) is the southernmost city in the Philippines. Classified as a highly urbanized first class city, General Santos is the 15th most populous city in the country with 538,086 inhabitants as per census data of 2010. General Santos City is the regional center for commerce and industry of the SOCCSKSARGEN region, and geographically in the province of South Cotabato but administered independent of it.

History

The nomadic B'laan people are the original inhabitants of General Santos, and traces of their early settlement of the area are found in the city's place names, which are derived from their vocabulary. Their name for the city, Dadiangas, is from the thorny Ziziphus spina-christi tree that was once abundant in the area and is now a protected species under Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Right Act of 2007. The B'laan tribe presently lives alongside the city's new generation of settlers and other immigrants.