| Title |
Analysis of North Korean Precipitation Characteristics Using Satellite Precipitation |
| Authors |
김주훈(Kim. Joo Hun);김동필(Kim, Dong Phil);조용수(Cho, Yong Soo) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.12652/Ksce.2025.45.6.0721 |
| Keywords |
위성강수; GSMaP; 북한; 강수특성; 공간분포; 계절변동성 Satellite precipitation; GSMaP; North Korea; Precipitation characteristics; Spatial distribution; Seasonal variability |
| Abstract |
This study analyzed the precipitation characteristics across North Korea using the GSMaP_MVK precipitation provided by JAXA and ground-based observations from 27 meteorological stations collected through the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Telecommunication System (GTS) for the period from 2008 to 2024. The results showed that the mean correlation coefficient between GSMaP_MVK and WMO daily precipitation was 0.64, indicating a moderate positive correlation. Higher correlations were observed in regions such as Kaesong, Haeju, and Pyonggang, whereas lower correlations appeared in Senbong, Chongjin, and Samjiyon. In the spatial distribution of annual precipitation, the mean annual rainfall from GSMaP_MVK was approximately 720 mm/yr, while that from WMO observations was about 890 mm/yr, indicating that the satellite data tended to underestimate precipitation by about 20-25 % compared with ground measurements. The seasonal analysis revealed that 60-70 % of the annual precipitation occurred during summer, while spring and autumn contributed 15-20 %, and winter accounted for around 4 %. Although GSMaP_MVK yielded lower precipitation values than WMO across all seasons, the overall seasonal patterns were consistently reproduced at all stations. In particular, western plains and southern regions such as Pyongyang, Sariwon, Nampo, Sinuiju, Kaesong, and Haeju exhibited strong agreement between satellite and ground observations, whereas eastern coastal and northern mountainous areas including Senbong, Wonsan, and Kimchaek showed a clear tendency of underestimation. The basin-based analysis showed that the Imjin River and Cheongcheon River basins exhibited high variability in precipitation, whereas the Duman and Aprok River basins displayed relatively stable patterns. Therefore, GSMaP satellite precipitation data can be considered reliable for representing the spatial and seasonal variability of precipitation across North Korea. When bias correction is applied to address underestimation, it provides valuable scientific input for flood estimation in inter-Korean transboundary rivers, hydrological modeling, and climate change impact assessments. |