The residents of the area have long used the animal for not only food but medicine because it is good for the treatment of hypertension, hepatitis and other diseases.

They call it gold terrapin comparing its color and efficacy with gold.

It is little different from other species of terrapin in appearance and habit but its yellow color is deeper than others and its yellow stripes are clear-cut.

It mates from late May to early June and lays eggs from late June to mid-August.

It hibernates under sandy mud from mid-October to early April when the water temperature goes down below 10 degrees centigrade.

It, which lives for 40-50 years, weighs one kilogram on the average when attaining its full growth.

Thanks to the nature conservation policy of the Workers' Party of Korea the basin of the river was designated as a terrapin reserve in June Juche 92 (2003) to multiply the animal.