Chinese Government donates spare parts for O&M of Chonghwaryok Power Plant and Ponghwa Chemical Factory of North Korea in 2001

In 2001, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) provided a grant to the North Korean Government for the provision of spare parts to support the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Chonghwaryok Power Plant (exact locational coordinates: 39.959493, 126.119703) and Ponghwa Chemical Factory (exact locational coordinates: 40.07498, 124.54762). The monetary value of the grant is unknown. According to data collected from the China Commerce Yearbook (中国商务年鉴) and the Almanac of China’s Foreign Economic Relations & Trade, this project was completed in 2001. However, precise project implementation start and end dates are unknown.

Additional details

1. The Chinese project title is 年度向朝鲜提供零配件项目 or 提供电厂维修设备，化工厂维修设备. The Chinese name of the Ponghwa chemical factory is 朝鲜烽火化工厂. The Korean name of the Ponghwa chemical factory is 봉화화학공장. Chonghwaryok Power Plant is also known as the Chongchon-gang Thermoelectric Power Plant and the Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River Thermal Power Plant. 2. The Ponghwa Chemical Factory was constructed with RMB 82.45 million of Chinese aid. It was put into operation in September 1978. The factory uses crude oil transported by two pipelines between China and Sinuihi. The refinery turns the oil into refined products for North Korea’s government, military, transport, agricultural and fishing sectors.

Number of official sources

1

Number of total sources

9