North Korea: West Sea Barrage
3 hours west from Pyongyang, on the western coast of the Korean Peninsula is the West Sea Barrage, also known as Nampo Dam. It is considered one of the greatest engineering fits in the country. The massive dam blocks tidal waters of the Yellow Sea from entering the Taedong River basin, thus allowing for more arable land and water supply. The barrage is a huge 8km system of dams with 3 lock chambers and 36 sluices. Massive ships can pass through the locks, just like in Panama canal. The barrage cost $4 billion to build between 1981 and 1986 by what seems like a monumental effort by the whole country in a classical Stalinist construction project – industrialization Korean style!
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