Rason

Rason is a special city in northeastern North Korea formed from the port districts of Rajin and Sonbong. It is designated as a special economic zone intended to attract foreign trade and investment.

Rajin: Rajin is a port district and urban center in northeastern North Korea, situated on the Sea of Japan. Rajin is one of the two historic port districts combined to form Rason.
Rajin Port: Rajin Port is a deep-water seaport on the Sea of Japan in northeastern North Korea. Its harbor is a central asset for Rason’s trade-oriented development plans.
Rajin–Khasan railway: The Rajin–Khasan railway connects Rajin in North Korea with Khasan in Russia. The line provides a physical rail link underpinning the Rajin-Khasan transit project.
North Korean economic reform: North Korean economic reform refers to policy changes intended to alter the country’s centrally planned economy. Rason has served as a bounded setting for testing market-oriented measures.
Sonbong: Sonbong is a port district in northeastern North Korea, near the borders with China and Russia. Sonbong is the other historic port district incorporated into Rason.
Tumen River: The Tumen River forms parts of the borders between North Korea, China, and Russia. The river marks Rason’s position at a rare three-country border junction.
Rajin Port coal terminal: The Rajin Port coal terminal is a facility used to transfer cargo, including Russian coal, through Rajin. The terminal made the port a practical outlet for Russian cargo exports.
United Nations sanctions on North Korea: United Nations sanctions on North Korea are restrictions imposed by the Security Council in response to its nuclear and missile programs. Sanctions constrain the trade and investment environment in which Rason operates.
Rajin-Sonbong Economic Special Zone: The Rajin-Sonbong Economic Special Zone was North Korea’s early special economic zone, established in 1991. The zone’s creation preceded Rason’s later status as a special city.
China–North Korea relations: China–North Korea relations encompass the political, economic, and security ties between the two neighboring states. Chinese trade and investment are central to the zone’s external economic links.

Linked from 2 pages

ChongjinRelated: It is another northern port city linked to the region’s cross-border trade.