the river, particularly tidal action in the lower reaches, break up this ice, and large amounts of floe ice pile up against any obstacle in the channel. Many in South Korea nickname Imjin as the "River of the Dead" as in the past, large numbers of dead bodies have floated down the river from the North. The most recent occurrence was during the major famine of the 1990s when millions of North Koreans are believed to have starved to death. In popular culture In the popular novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, the American 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital ("MASH") unit is located close to a branch of the Imjin River. Imjin River is the subject of a famous North Korean popular song, "Rimjingang", named after the river. It was composed in 1957 with lyrics written by North Korean poet Pak Se-yong. It is a well-known song in North Korea, as it refers to Imjin River as a symbol of freedom flowing from north to south. This song depicts the sadness of a divided homeland and alludes to the infamous history of the river. The song (as "Imujingawa") later became popular in Japan when it was covered by The Folk Crusaders and other artists. It remains popular among Korean communities worldwide, as a song of hope that the Korean people will once again be united and free. See also Hantan River Han River List of rivers of Korea Hwanggang Dam References External links US Army (PDF) imjinscout.com Rivers of South Korea Rivers of North Korea International rivers of Asia North Korea–South Korea border Biosphere reserves of South Korea