---
title: "Sunchon Kyo-hwa-so: North Korea Prison Camp Dossier | Save North Korea"
description: "Sunchon Kyo-hwa-so (Prison (kyohwaso)): Operating (per HRNK). Located in South Pyongan Province. Sunchon Kyo-hwa-so is sometimes known as Sukchon Kyo-hwa-so.  Type of prisoners: Unknown Type of Labor: Gold mining This location has not been confirmed by HRNK prisoner testimony. It has been listed in NKDB and KINU reports. There is no further information about its current state of operation."
url: "https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/sunchon-kyohwaso"
language: en
translations:
  en: https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/sunchon-kyohwaso
  ko: https://savenorthkorea.org/ko/camps/sunchon-kyohwaso
  ja: https://savenorthkorea.org/ja/camps/sunchon-kyohwaso
  zh-Hans: https://savenorthkorea.org/zh/camps/sunchon-kyohwaso
---

[Prison camps](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps) · South Pyongan Province

Prison · kyohwaso 

# Sunchon Kyo-hwa-so

순천 교화소

Sunchon Prison in South Pyongan Province is an operational correctional facility centered on limestone quarrying, cement production, and chemical plant labor.

**\~400** prisoners HRNK estimate 

**Active** Operating (per HRNK) 

**Social Security** run by 

Sukchon · South Pyongan

Sunchon Kyo-hwa-so · 39.4360°N, 125.7957°E [Google Maps ↗](https://www.google.com/maps/@39.4359833333333,125.795675,15z/data=!3m1!1e3) · Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics 

[ Open on the intel map](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#camps=camp-12)[ Sukchon county](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sukchon)[ How the camp system works](https://savenorthkorea.org/learn/north-korea-prison-camps)

## Forced labor

- Gold mining

## How well documented

1. Satellite imagery
2. Listed by NKDB / KINU
3. Survivor testimony

## Also known as

- Sukchon Kyo-hwa-so

## Why people end up here

Kyohwaso hold people sentenced through the regular courts. Sentences are set in years, but hunger, beatings and heavy labor kill many before release. Common charges:

- Illegal trading
- Smuggling across the border
- Watching foreign media
- Trying to escape to China

## Sources

- [**HRNK prison camp map** hrnk.org ↗ ](https://www.hrnk.org/)
- [**UN Commission of Inquiry (2014)** ohchr.org ↗ ](https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/co-idprk/commission-inquiry-on-h-rin-dprk)

## Other facilities in South Pyongan Province

- [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 14, Kaechon** Political prison camp · Operating ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-14)
- [ © Esri, Maxar **Camp 18, Pukchang** Political prison camp · Reported closed or merged ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kwanliso-18)
- [ © Esri, Maxar **Kyo-hwa-so No. 11, Chung-san** Prison · Operating (per HRNK) ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/kyohwaso-11-chungsan)