Chosen Anthracite Company

The Chōsen Anthracite Company, Ltd. (Japanese: 朝鮮無煙炭株式会社 Chōsen Muentan Kabushiki Kaisha; Korean: 조선무연탄주식회사 Joseon Muyeontan Jusikhoesa) was a kabushiki kaisha in colonial Korea that operated collieries around Korea. It was founded in 1927 by the Mitsubishi zaibatsu of Japan by integrating the anthracite mining operations around Heijō, eventually becoming the largest coal-producing company in Korea - 74.9% of the coal distributed in Korea was produced by the Chōsen Anthracite Company.[1]

Chōsen Anthracite Company Ltd.
Native name
조선무연탄주식회사
朝鮮無煙炭株式会社
Korean: Joseon Muyeontan Jusikhoesa
Japanese: Chōsen Muentan Kabushiki Kaisha
Kabushiki kaisha
IndustryMining, Railway
FateAbolished
Founded1927
Defunct1945
Headquarters
Muncheon Port Line
Overview
Native nameKorean: 문천항선 (Muncheonhang-seon)
Japanese: 文川港線 (Genzankō-sen)
TypeHeavy rail,
Regional rail
LocaleGangwon
TerminiMuncheon
Wonsanbukhang
Stations2
Operation
Opened17 December 1943
OwnerChosen Anthracite Company
Operator(s)Chosen Anthracite Company Railway
Technical
Line length7.4 km (4.6 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Route map
Sinheung-ni port
Sinheung-ni
Goseong-ni
Sentetsu Hamgyeong Line towards Gowon
7.4 Wonsanbukhang
0.0 Muncheon
Sentetsu Hamgyeong Line towards Wonsan

In 1935, majority control of the Chōsen Anthracite Company went to the Oriental Development Company (Japanese: Tōyō Takushoku Kabushiki Kaisha), which transformed the Chosen Anthracite Company into a multipurpose company which, in addition to the production and distribution of coal, built and operated ports and railways.[1]

On 17 December 1943 the Chōsen Anthracite Company opened a railway line from Bunsen on the Chōsen Government Railway's Kankyō Line to a port it had constructed at Kogan-dō, Bunsen city, Gangwon Province. Named the Bunsen Port Line, it ran 7.4 km (4.6 mi) from Bunsen Station to Genzan North Port Station.[2]

Following the partition of Korea and the establishment of North Korea, the company was abolished. The Muncheon Port Line, along with all other railway lines in the country, was nationalised on 10 August 1946, becoming part of the Korean State Railway.[3]

References

  1. 일제의 조선무연탄주식회사 설립과 조선 석탄자원 통제
  2. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 5070, 27 December 1943
  3. Kokubu, Hayato. 将軍様の鉄道. Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō. p. 131. ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6.
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