---
title: "Kaechon City (South Pyongan): North Korea County Demographics & Abuses | Save North Korea"
description: "Kaechon City in South Pyongan: population 319,554, 115 documented human rights abuses, 2 detention facilities, and 8 official markets."
url: "https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kaechon"
language: en
translations:
  en: https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kaechon
  ko: https://savenorthkorea.org/ko/counties/kaechon
  ja: https://savenorthkorea.org/ja/counties/kaechon
  zh-Hans: https://savenorthkorea.org/zh/counties/kaechon
---

[Counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties) · South Pyongan · KP0704

 City in South Pyongan 

# Kaechon City

**319,554** people 2008 census, may be outdated 

**609** km² 525 people per km² 

**82%** live in towns 

**115** documented abuses NKDB 

**2** detention sites 

**8** official markets 

Kaechon City · South Pyongan

[ Open on the intel map](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0704)[ Satellite view](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0704&b=sat)[ Compare all 179 counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties)

## Seen from space

**12.9%** of the county lit at night in 2025 

5.3% in 2013

The satellite product changed version in 2022 (dashed line). [Annual VIIRS night lights, Earth Observation Group](https://eogdata.mines.edu/products/vnl/)

## Abuses by right violated

- Individual Liberty & Dignity **49**
- Accused, Detained, or Convicted **40**
- Life **18**
- Freedom of Belief & Expression **7**
- Reproductive Rights **1**

## When they happened

1. **20** ’80s
2. **8** ’90s
3. **12** ’00s
4. **58** ’10s

## Women and men

**168,466** women (53%) **151,088** men 

## Prison camps here

- [ © Esri, Maxar **Ch’oma-bong Restricted Area** 처마봉 통제구역 · South Pyongan Province Operating  Mining  Agricultural production ](https://savenorthkorea.org/camps/choma-bong-restricted-area)
- [ © 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)

## Elsewhere in South Pyongan

- [Anju City ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/anju)
- [Chongnam ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/chongnam)
- [Hoechang 8 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/hoechang)
- [Jungsan 40 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/jungsan)
- [Maengsan ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/maengsan)
- [Mundok 8 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/mundok)
- [Nyongwon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/nyongwon)
- [Pukchang 93 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/pukchang)
- [Pyongsong City 5 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/pyongsong)
- [Pyongwon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/pyongwon)
- [Sinyang ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sinyang)
- [Songchon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/songchon)
- [Sukchon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sukchon)
- [Sunchon City 5 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sunchon)
- [Taedong ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/taedong)
- [Taehung ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/taehung)
- [Tokchon City 4 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/tokchon)
- [Tukjang 24 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/tukjang)
- [Unsan 1 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/unsan-south-pyongan)
- [Yangdok 1 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/yangdok)

## Sources

- [**UN OCHA administrative boundaries** data.humdata.org ↗ ](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-prk)
- [**2008 census (UNFPA)** data.humdata.org ↗ ](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-prk)
- [**NKDB Visual Atlas** visualatlas.org ↗ ](https://www.visualatlas.org)