NAJIN

city, Hamgyong-pukto (North Hamgyong Province), northeastern North Korea. It is located on Najin-man (bay), on the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Protected by Taech'o and Soch'o islands, it has a good natural harbour and is a port city. Formerly a poor village, it developed rapidly after the construction of the rail line connecting it with the urban centres of Manchuria in 1932. Fisheries are important; the neighbouring waters offer good fishing grounds for codfish, pollack, and herring. Shipbuilding is carried on. It is a station on the rail line passing through Wonsan, to the south, through Hamhung and Ch'ong-jin, and continuing past Najin to Unggi, to the north, via the Ungna Tunnel (12,631 ft long), the longest tunnel in the country. Beyond Unggi, the rail line parallels the Chinese border, and then crosses into China. Pop. (latest est.) 34,388.