a city in the northeastern People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, an ice-free port on the Sea of Japan. Capital of Hamgyong-pukto (North Hamgyong Province). Population, 290,000 (1972). Chongjin is a transportation junction and an important center of ferrous metallurgy, which is based on the Musan iron ore deposits. The city has machine-building (including shipbuilding), textile (including the manufacture of artificial-silk fabrics), chemical, food-processing, and building-materials industries. Fishing is also of some importance in the local economy.