Gyeongui Line (1904–1945)

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The Gyeongui Line was a railway line of the Chosen Government Railway running from Keijō to Sinuiju in Korea, Empire of Japan. After the partition of Korea in 1945, the line was divided between North and South Korea.[1]

Gyeongui Line
Overview
Native name경의선 (京義線)
StatusDivided
OwnerTemporary Military Railway (1905–1906)
National Railway (1906–1909)
Korea Railway (1909–1910)
Chosen Government Railway (1910–1917)
South Manchuria Railway (1917–1925)
Chosen Government Railway (1925–1945)
Termini
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Passenger rail, Freight rail
History
Opened5 November 1905
Closed1945 (divided)
Technical
Line length499.3 km (310.3 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map

0.0
Gyeongseong
3.1
Sincheon
5.8
Gajwa
8.5
Susaek
16.5
Neunggok
24.9
Ilsan
35.1
Geumchon
46.0
Munsan
57.8
Jangdan
65.5
Bongdong
73.4
Gaeseong
82.5
Toseong
90.3
Yeohyeon
97.5
Gyejeong
109.4
Geumgyo
119.7
Hanpo
125.4
Pyeongsan
134.0
Namcheon
142.8
Mulgae
153.3
Sinmak
160.1
Seoheung
170.5
Munmuri
175.3
Heungsu
183.2
Cheonggye
190.2
Madong
195.6
Sinbongsan
200.2
Sariwon
206.9
Gyedong
214.0
Chimchon
224.2
Hwanghae Hwangju
236.3
Heukgyo
242.9
Junghwa
250.2
Yeokpo
258.1
Daedonggang
260.7
Pyeongyang
265.4
West P'yŏngyang
271.8
Seopo
279.9
Galli
285.9
Sunan
294.2
Seokam
301.8
Eopa
312.6
Sukcheon
322.9
Manseong
331.2
Daegyo
336.4
Sinanju
342.4
Maengjungni
349.8
Yeongmi
362.8
Unjeon
371.3
Goeup
384.1
Jeongju
388.8
Hadan
396.7
gwaksan
408.3
Noha
417.6
Seoncheon
427.7
Dongnim
438.5
Charyeonggwan
451.9
Namsi
460.6
Yangchaek
468.4
Pihyeon
477.7
Baengma
488.9
Seokha
Sentetsu Yangsi Line
491.5
South Sinuiju
496.7
Sinŭiju Ch'ŏngnyŏn
499.3
Andong
Gyeongui Line
Hunminjeongeum
경의선
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGyeongui-seon
McCune–ReischauerKyŏngŭi-sŏn

History

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Origins, to 1910

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Construction of a railway line running north from Hanseong had been envisioned since the end of the 19th century, but the lack of funding led to the failure of several attempts.[2] Over the last five years of the century several abortive attempts were made to that end. In 1896 the French Fives Lille obtained the rights to build a railway line in Korea, but after failing to secure the necessary funding, the rights were transferred to the "Korean Railway Company" (대한철도회사, Hanguk Cheoldohoesa) in 1899. However, this attempt likewise went nowhere. Finally, in 1900, the government-owned "Western Railway" (서부철도회사, Seobu Cheoldohoesa) began surveying a route for a railway from Gyeongseong to Gaeseong. Construction of what was to become the first section of the Gyeongui Line began in 1902.[3] The line's name was derived from the names of the two proposed termini, Gyeongseong and Sinuiju.

Imperial Japan, which had gained the concession to build the Gyeongbu Line from Seoul to Busan, recognised that a railway running through all of Korea from north to south would serve as a means to strengthen its influence over Korea, sought to gain control of the Gyeongui Line project as well.[2] When the Russo-Japanese War broke out in 1904, Japan ignored Korea's declaration of neutrality, transporting troops to Incheon and forcing the Korean government to sign an agreement that gave Japan's military control of railway projects if deemed necessary for military operations.[2] The Imperial Japanese Army then established the Temporary Military Railway Office, and took over control of the Western Railway, intending to use the line to assist with military operations against Russia in Manchuria.[2] The Yongsan–Gaeseong section was completed in March 1904, followed by the completion of the PyeongyangSinuiju (today's Kangan Station) section on 28 April 1905, and freight operations between Yongsan and Sinuiju began on 5 November of that year.[4] Although the war had ended on 5 September of that year, the Japanese military retained control of the Temporary Military Railway, still intent on using it to ensure its dominance in Korea. In the following year, bridges were completed over the Cheongcheon and Daedong rivers, allowing for the operation of through trains between Yongsan and Sinŭiju. The Gyeongui Line was officially opened on 3 April 1906.[5]

Twelve days after freight operations began on the Gyeongui Line, the Second Japan–Korea Convention was signed, making the Empire of Korea a protectorate of the Empire of Japan,[6] with the Japanese Resident-General representing Japan in Korea. The Administration of the Resident-General established its Railway Office on 1 July 1906, at the same time nationalising the privately owned (by Japanese interests) Gyeongbu Railway, which by then was the only other railway operator in Korea besides the Temporary Military Railway. On 1 September of that year, the Railway Office took over control of the Gyeongui Line from the military and merged it with the Gyeongbu Railway to create the National Railway Administration.[7]

The National Railway initiated passenger service on the Gyeongui Line on 1 April 1908, and Korea's first express train, the "Ryūki", began operating between Sinuiju and Busan via Gyeongseong.[8] The National Railway was reformed on 18 June 1909, being replaced by the newly established Korea Railway. When Korea was annexed by Japan on 29 August 1910, the creation of the Government-General of Korea led to the establishment of the Railway Bureau of the Government-General of Korea, with the Railway Bureau taking over administration of the Korea Railway and renaming it the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu).[7]

Japanese rule, 1910–1945

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On 1 November 1911, Korea's first railway connection to another country was made, when the Yalu River Railway Bridge was completed across the Yalu River between Sinuiju and Andong, connecting the Gyeongui Line to the Anfeng Line of the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu).[9] Work to convert the Anfeng Line from 762 mm (2 ft 6.0 in) narrow gauge to standard gauge was completed at the same time, thus connecting the capitals of Korea and China via Manchuria with a continuous railway line. As a result, Sentetsu opened a new station in Sinuiju, with the original station, located 1.8 km (1.1 mi) northwest of the new station, being renamed Lower Sinuiju Station,[10] which on 1 June 1936 was renamed Sinuiju Gangan Station, and the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) line from Sinuiju Station to Sinuiju Kangan Station was detached from the Gyeongui Line to become the Gangan Line.[11] Passenger service on the Gangan Line was discontinued on 31 March 1943,[12] with general (public) freight traffic being relocated from Sinuiju Gangan to Sinuiju Station on 20 December of that year.[13]

Over the following decades, numerous branch lines and privately owned railways were built connecting to the Gyeongui Line mainline. On 13 May 1916, the Mitsui Mining Railway (called Gaecheon Light Railway after 1927) opened the narrow gauge Gaecheon Line from Sinanju to Gaecheon, Sentetsu opened the Bakcheon Line from Maengjungni to Bakcheon on 10 December 1926, on 27 September 1939 the Pyeongbuk Railway opened its line from Jeongju to Cheongsu and Supung, where the Supung Dam was built; the Emperor of Manchukuo, Puyi, visited the Supung Dam, travelling by rail via the Gyeongui Line and the Pyeongbuk Railway.[14] On 31 October 1939 the Dasado Railway opened its Sinuiju–South Sinuiju InterlockingYangsiDasado Port line,[15] and on 29 October 1940, extended it from Yangsi south to Namsi,[16] connecting it to the Gyeongui Line there, too. This resulted in a shorter route than the original mainline between South Sinuiju and Namsi, leading Sentetsu to nationalise the Sinuiju—Namsi line on 1 April 1943, naming it the Yangsi Line.[17] South Sinuiju Interlocking was elevated to station status on 16 October 1943.[18]

Between 1917 and 1925, the management of Sentetsu was transferred to the South Manchuria Railway, during this time, Sentetsu was referred to as "Mantetsu Gyeongseong Bureau"; however, on 1 April 1925 management of railways in Korea was returned to the Railway Bureau, and Sentetsu became independent once again.[7] Passenger service was expanded in the 1930s, seeing the introduction of the "Hikari" limited express running from Busan to Xinjing, Manchukuo, in November 1934; then, in November 1939, the North China Transportation Company, in conjunction with Sentetsu and Mantetsu, introduced the "Koa" and "Tairiku" limited express trains, running between Pusan and Beijing.[19] The "Koa" made the trip in 39 hours 30 minutes in 1940, but as the situation deteriorated due to the Pacific War, travel times increased, taking 49 hours by January 1945. The train remained in operation until Japan's defeat. By 1943 traffic levels were sufficiently high to justify double tracking of the entire line between P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju, with the work being completed on 15 May 1943.[20]

Following Japan's defeat in the Pacific War and the subsequent partition of Korea, the Gyeongui Line was divided at the 38th parallel between North and South Korea.[1] On 25 August 1945, the Soviet Army began operating trains on the line north of Sariwon,[21] whilst trains in the south terminated at Gaeseong. In 1946, the railways in both North and South were nationalised, creating the Korean National Railroad in the South and the Korean State Railway in the North.[9] After the Korean War, the Gyeongui Line was split into three sections. In the South, the Seoul–Jangdan section became the KNR's Gyeongui Line, retaining the same name; in the North, the BongdongPyeongyang section became the P'yŏngbu Line, whilst the Pyeongyang–Sinuiju section became the P'yŏngŭi Line.[1]

For the post-war history of the various sections of Sentetsu's Gyeongui Line, see Gyeongui Line for the Southern section, and P'yŏngbu Line, P'yŏngŭi Line, Yangsi Line, and Paengma Line for the sections in the North.

Route

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Stations as of 1945
Distance Station name
Total; km S2S; km Transcribed, Korean Transcribed, Japanese Hunminjeongeum Hanja/Kanji Opening date Connections
0.0 0.0 Gyeongseong Keijō 경성 京城 8 July 1900 Gyeongbu Line, Gyeongwon Line
3.1 3.1 Sinchon Shinson 신촌 新村 11 July 1921
5.8 2.7 Gajwa Kasa 가좌 加佐 1 December 1930
8.5 2.7 Susaek Suishoku 수색 水色 1 April 1908
16.5 8.0 Neunggok Ryōkoku 능곡 陵谷 1 April 1908
24.9 8.4 Ilsan Issan 일산 一山 3 April 1906
35.1 10.2 Geumchon Kinson 금촌 金村 4 April 1906
46.0 10.9 Munsan Bunzan 문산 汶山 3 April 1906
57.8 11.8 Jangdan Chōtan 장단 長湍 3 April 1906
65.6 7.8 Bongdong Hōtō 봉동 鳳東 3 April 1906
73.4 7.8 Gaeseong Kaijō 개성 開城 1 April 1908
82.5 9.1 Toseong Dojō 토성 土城 4 April 1906 Dohae Line
90.3 7.8 Yeohyeon Reiken 여현 礪峴 1 July 1923
97.5 7.2 Gyejeong Keisei 계정 鶏井 3 April 1906
109.4 11.9 Geumgyo Kinkō 금교 金郊 3 April 1906
119.7 10.3 Hanpo Kanpo 한포 汗浦 3 April 1906
125.4 5.7 Pyeongsan Heizan 평산 平山 20 December 1931
134.0 8.6 Namcheon Nansen 남천 南川 20 December 1931
142.8 8.8 Mulgae Bukkai 물개 物開 ?
153.3 10.5 Sinmak Shinbaku 신막 新幕 3 April 1906
160.1 6.8 Seoheung Zuikō 서흥 瑞興 3 April 1906
170.5 10.4 Munmuri Bunburi 문무리 文武里 1 December 1939
175.3 4.8 Heungsu Kōsui 흥수 興水 4 April 1906
183.2 7.9 Cheonggye Seikei 청계 清溪 4 April 1906
190.2 7.0 Madong Badō 마동 馬洞 4 April 1906
195.6 5.4 Sinbongsan Shinpōzan 신봉산 新鳳山 1 December 1926
200.2 4.6 Sariwon Shariin 사리원 沙里院 4 April 1906 Hwanghae Main Line, Jangyeon Line
206.9 6.7 Gyedong Keitō 계동 桂東 1 July 1923
214.0 7.1 Chimchon Chinson 침촌 沈村 4 April 1906
224.2 10.2 Hwanghae Hwangju Hōkai-Kōshū 황해황주 黃海黃州 5 November 1905 Gyeom-ipo Line
236.3 12.1 Heukgyo Kokkyō 흑교 黒橋 4 April 1906
242.9 6.6 Junghwa Chūwa 중화 中和 4 April 1906
250.2 7.3 Yeokpo Ryokuho 역포 力浦 4 April 1906
258.1 7.9 Daedonggang Daidōkō 대동강 大同江 1 October 1926 Pyeongyang Colliery Line
260.7 2.6 Pyeongyang Heijō 평양 平壤 3 April 1906 Pyeongnam Line
265.4 4.7 West Pyongyang Nishi-Heijō 서평양 西平壤 16 November 1929
271.8 6.4 Seopo Seiho 서포 西浦 1 April 1908 Pyeongwon Line
279.9 8.1 Galli Kanri 간리 間里 11 February 1934
285.9 6.0 Sunan Jun'an 순안 順安 ?
294.2 8.3 Seokam Sekigan 석암 石巌 1 July 1923
301.8 7.6 Eopa Gyoha 어파 漁波 5 November 1905
312.6 10.8 Sukcheon Shukusen 숙천 粛川 5 November 1905
322.9 10.3 Manseong Banjō 만성 万城 5 November 1905
331.2 8.3 Daegyo Taikyō 대교 大橋 16 July 1938
336.4 5.2 Sinanju Shin'anshū 신안주 新安州 5 November 1905 Gaecheon Line
342.4 6.0 Maengjungni Mōchūri 맹중리 孟中里 1 October 1914 Bakcheon Line
349.8 7.4 Yeongmi Reibi 영미 嶺美 ?
362.8 13.0 Unjeon Unden 운전 雲田 ?
371.3 8.5 Goeup Koyū 고읍 古邑 ?
384.1 12.8 Jeongju Teishū 정주 定州 5 November 1905 Pyeongbuk Railway Pyeongbuk Line
388.8 4.7 Hadan Katan 하단 下端 16 July 1938
396.7 7.9 Gwaksan Kakuzan 곽산 郭山 5 November 1905
408.3 11.6 Noha Roka 노하 路下 ?
417.6 9.3 Seoncheon Sensen 선천 宣川 5 November 1905
427.7 10.1 Dongnim Tōrin 동림 東林 5 November 1905
438.5 10.8 Charyeonggwan Sharenkan 차련관 車輦館 5 November 1905 Dongcheon Line
451.9 13.4 Namsi Nanshi 남시 南市 5 November 1905 Dasado Railway Yangsi Line
460.6 8.7 Yangchaek Ryōsaku 양책 良策 5 November 1905
468.4 7.8 Pihyeon Hiken 피현 枇峴 5 November 1905
477.7 9.3 Baengma Hakuba 백마 白馬 5 November 1905
488.9 11.2 Seokha Sekka 석하 石下 5 November 1905
491.5 2.6 Namsinuiju Minami-Shingishū 남신의주 南新義州 1 October 1938 Sentetsu Yangsi Line
496.7 5.2 Sinuiju Shingishū 신의주 新義州 1911 Gang-an Line
Yalu River Railway Bridge Ōryokukō-tekkyō 압록강 철교 鴨綠江鐵橋 October 1911 Korea, Empire of JapanManchukuo border
499.3 2.6 Andong, Manchukuo Antō 안동 安东 11 November 1911
(regauged)
South Manchuria Railway Anfeng Line

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 83, Shinchosha, Tokyo ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  2. ^ a b c d "Korea's Railway Network the Key to Imperial Japan's Control". The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  3. ^ "【魚拓】聯合ニュース". Yonhap News Agency (in Japanese). 2009-05-08. Archived from the original on 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2021-08-08 – via Megalodon (website).
  4. ^ Korea National Railway Co., 철도주요연표 2010, 2010, p19
  5. ^ "경영원칙 > 경영공시 > 영업현황 > 영업거리현황". Korail. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  6. ^ The history of Korea, pp. 461–62, Homer Hulbert
  7. ^ a b c Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 69, Shinchosha, Tokyo ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  8. ^ Japanese Government Railways (1937), 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在(The List of the Stations as of 1 October 1937), Kawaguchi Printing Company, Tokyo, pp. 483-485
  9. ^ a b Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 131, Shinchosha, Tokyo ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  10. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Meiji, 24 November 1911
  11. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 2785, 28 April 1936
  12. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 4845, 29 March 1943
  13. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 5065, 20 December 1943
  14. ^ Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 87, Shinchosha, Tokyo ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  15. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 3841, 8 November 1939
  16. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 4136, 4 November 1940
  17. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 4837, 19 March 1943
  18. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 5011, 14 October 1943
  19. ^ Byeon, Seong-u (1999). 한국철도차량 100년사 [Korean Railways Rolling Stock Centennial] (in Korean). Seoul: Korea Rolling Stock Technical Corp.
  20. ^ Korea National Railway Co., 철도주요연표 2010, 2010, p 84
  21. ^ "100 Years of Rail Travel - The 38th Parallel (in Japanese)". Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2018-01-23.