Pages from Operation Chromite (Inchon Landing) - Korean War ...

Sections of the river-plain are undulati.~. South of Inchon, hilIe appearclose to the shore; the coastline is sometimea steep end high. Bxteneiredrying mud-flats, up to eight miles wide, fringe the coastline and surroundthe off-lying islands, making navigation difficult. The Inchon area issubject to ona of the most extrsme tidal rangss in the world, exceeding 31'.A hilly island, Wolmi-do, about one mile by half a mile, protectsInchon harbor. Approaches to the mainland are restricted by other smallislands, and channeled by the multitude of mud-flats.*Inchon is located on a hilly prCWntOry'dissect.ed by Small flatstream vslle:rs and is backed by rough terrain. ?arther inland are axteeslve valley flat; and iowlands planted in rice. Tne rice fields, wet ins.mm.?r, impede cross cO"ntry mOVe,Lsnt.Near Seoul, the valley,%s of irregular width, generslly varying betvmenone-two miles. Yke Xand hills are steeper than those near the coast,rising to approximately 2700 feet. The main road and rail routes arsw-iwiingand restricted.;ecul is the main ccmmsrcial center of Korea and is a major road andrailroad junction. Principsl roads run south to Taejon, southeast toChungju and Pusan, west to Inchon, northwest to Pyongyang and northeasttoiYonsan.The Han-gang at Seoul is from MO-500 yards wide, and is a barrierto N/S movement. The current is maierate to swift; banks are steep andfrequently diked; the ohannel is nearly loo0 yards wide near the mouth.Korea has an abundant water supply, &Ach however, requires purification..%i.nfal.l varies fran 20 inches a year in the north to 60 inchesin the south. June - September Is the rainy eeeeou. On the small off-shore islandswater is very scarce.Seoul. and Inchon have municipal. water works.source of supply, a.d is purified for dcanestic consumption.The Han-gang is the maim*Extracts Terrain Handbook Number 65, F2.L4