--- title: "North Korea Prison Camps: Kwanliso and Kyohwaso Guide | Save North Korea" description: "Documented guide to North Korea’s political prison camps (kwanliso) and correctional prisons (kyohwaso): locations, estimated prisoner counts, operating status, and satellite documentation." url: "https://savenorthkorea.org/camps" language: en translations: en: https://savenorthkorea.org/camps ko: https://savenorthkorea.org/ko/camps ja: https://savenorthkorea.org/ja/camps zh-Hans: https://savenorthkorea.org/zh/camps --- Human rights · Detention # North Korea’s prison camps Two systems. Political prison camps (kwanliso) hold whole families without trial, many for life. Prisons (kyohwaso) hold people sentenced by courts for things like trading, smuggling or trying to escape. **80–120k** in political prison camps UN COI, 2014 **9** kwanliso tracked **15** kyohwaso tracked [ Open the intel map](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#camps=camp-0)[ How the system works](https://savenorthkorea.org/learn/north-korea-prison-camps) Political prison camp Prison (kyohwaso) ## Political prison camps 9 Run by the secret police (Ministry of State Security). No trial. Three generations of a family can be sent together. - [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 14, Kaechon** 14호 개천 관리소 · South Pyongan Province Operating \~15,000 Total control zone where prisoners are never released. Shin Dong-hyuk (Escape from Camp 14) says he was born here. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-14) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 25, Chongjin** 25호 청진 관리소 · North Hamgyong Province Operating, expanded in the 2010s \~5,000 Political prison camp on the edge of Chongjin. Satellite imagery showed new guard posts and buildings in the 2010s. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-25) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 15, Yodok** 15호 요덕 관리소 · South Hamgyong Province Reported closed or downsized, disputed Had a "revolutionizing zone" from which some prisoners were released, which is why most early camp testimony comes from here. Kang Chol-hwan (The Aquariums of Pyongyang) was held here as a child. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-15) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 16, Hwasong** 16호 화성 관리소 · North Hamgyong Province Operating \~20,000 The largest known political prison camp, a few km from the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. Tens of thousands of prisoners estimated. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-16) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 22, Hoeryong** 22호 회령 관리소 · North Hamgyong Province Closed \~2012 Once one of the largest camps. Closed around 2012\. What happened to its prisoners is unknown. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-22) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 18, Pukchang** 18호 북창 관리소 · South Pyongan Province Reported closed or merged \~27,000 Mining camp across the river from Camp 14\. Reports suggest it was closed or merged in the 2000s, though parts may still be used. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-18) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Facility at I-gol** 이골 수용 시설 · South Hamgyong Province Operating ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/facility-at-i-gol) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Facility at Udan** 우단 수용 시설 · North Hamgyong Province Operating ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/facility-at-udan) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Ch’oma-bong Restricted Area** 처마봉 통제구역 · South Pyongan Province Operating Mining Agricultural production ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/choma-bong-restricted-area) ## Prisons (kyohwaso) 15 Run by the regular police (Ministry of Social Security). Fixed sentences, but hunger and forced labor kill many before release. - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 8, Yongdam** 8호 용담 교화소 · Kangwon Province Operating \~2,000 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-8-yongdam) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 11, Chung-san** 11호 증산 교화소 · South Pyongan Province Operating Farming Construction ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-11-chungsan) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 7, Kanggye** 7호 강계 교화소 · Chagang Province Operating ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-7-kanggye) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 2, Dongrim** 2호 동림 교화소 · North Pyongan Province Operating ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-2-dongrim) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 88, Wonsan** 88호 원산 교화소 · Kangwon Province Operating ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-88-wonsan) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 9, Hamhung** 9호 함흥 교화소 · South Hamgyong Province Operating Sewing Farming ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-9-hamhung) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Sunchon Kyo-hwa-so** 순천 교화소 · South Pyongan Province Operating \~400 Gold mining ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/sunchon-kyohwaso) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 8, Sungho-ri** 8호 승호리 교화소 · Pyongyang Operating \~2,000 Coal mining ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-8-sunghori) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 3, Sinuiju** 3호 신의주 교화소 · North Pyongan Province Operating \~2,500 Rock and gold mining Prison uniform manufacturing ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-3-sinuiju) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyohwaso No. 1, Kaechon** 1호 개천 교화소 · South Pyongan Province Operating \~4,000 Re-education prison for people convicted of crimes. Survivors describe forced labor and high death rates. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-1-kaechon) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 4, Kangdong** 4호 강동 교화소 · Pyongyang City Operating \~1,000 Limestone and cement production Kyo-hwa-so No. 4, Kangdong is located in Chael-kol on the eastern outskirts of Pyongyang close to South Pyongan Province. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-4-kangdong) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyohwaso No. 12, Chongori** 12호 전거리 교화소 · North Hamgyong Province Operating \~2,300 Holds many people forcibly sent back from China after escaping. Testimony describes starvation and abuse, especially of women. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-12-chongori) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 6, Sariwon** 6호 사리원 교화소 · North Hwanghae Province Operating \~3,000 Clothing and Shoe factory Farming ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-6-sariwon) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 22, Oro** 22호 영광(오로) 교화소 · South Hamgyong Province Reported closed \~1,100 Construction It is believed that Kyo-hwa-so No. 22, Oro was closed around 2008. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-22-oro) - [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 77, Danchon** 77호 단천 교화소 · South Hamgyong Province Reported closed Gold mining It is believed that Kyo-hwa-so No. 77, Danchon was closed around 1997\. However, the locations identified here appear to be in operation. ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-77-danchon)