Namp'o is a city and seaport in South Pyongan Province, North Korea. Namp'o lies on the northern shore of the Taedong River, 15 km east of the river's mouth. It was a provincial-level "Directly Governed City" ("Chikhalsi") from 1980–2004, when it was designated a "Special City" (T'ŭkgŭpsi) and made a part of South P'yŏngyang. Namp'o was designated a T'ŭkpyŏlsi (teukbyeolsi; 특별시; 特別市) or "Special City", in 2010. Namp'o is situated approximately 50 kilometres south west of P'yŏngyang, at the mouth of the Taedong River. It was originally a small fishing village, but became a port for foreign trade in 1897, developing into a modern port in 1945 after World War II. With the rapid increase in state investment, the city's industrial capacity grew.. It was known as "Namupo" during Japanese rule between 1910 and 1945.