Lying 55km southwest of Pyongyang on the Taedong delta is the city of Nampo. Originally a small fishing village it opened as a port in 1897 and today is a centre of industry and North Korea’s most important port. It has some significance in modern North Korean history as being the ‘birthplace of the Chollima movement’. This was when the local steel workers took it upon themselves to increase their productivity and yield and is proudly mentioned in tourist pamphlets.

The West Sea Barrage is an 8km long system of dams closing the Taedong River off from the Yellow Sea. There are 3 lock chambers that allow ships of up to 50,000 tons to pass. By preventing seawater entering the river it has greatly aided the availability of fresh drinking water in the region.