---
title: "Samsu (Ryanggang): North Korea County Demographics & Abuses | Save North Korea"
description: "Samsu in Ryanggang: population 40,311, 162 documented human rights abuses, 11 detention facilities, and 2 official markets."
url: "https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/samsu"
language: en
translations:
  en: https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/samsu
  ko: https://savenorthkorea.org/ko/counties/samsu
  ja: https://savenorthkorea.org/ja/counties/samsu
  zh-Hans: https://savenorthkorea.org/zh/counties/samsu
---

[Counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties) · Ryanggang · KP0102

 County in Ryanggang 

# Samsu

**40,311** people 2008 census, may be outdated 

**1,047** km² 39 people per km² 

**39%** live in towns 

**162** documented abuses NKDB 

**11** detention sites 

**2** official markets 

Samsu · Ryanggang

[ Open on the intel map](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0102)[ Satellite view](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0102&b=sat)[ Compare all 179 counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties)

## Seen from space

**3.1%** of the county lit at night in 2025 

0.94% 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 **102**
- Life **21**
- Accused, Detained, or Convicted **15**
- Freedom of Belief & Expression **10**
- Survival **5**
- Freedom of Movement & Residence **5**
- Reproductive Rights **4**

## When they happened

1. **3** ’90s
2. **41** ’00s
3. **118** ’10s

## Women and men

**21,386** women (53%) **18,925** men 

## Elsewhere in Ryanggang

- [Hyesan City 202 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/hyesan)
- [Kabsan 5 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kabsan)
- [Kim Hyong Gwon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kim-hyong-gwon)
- [Kim Hyong Jik ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kim-hyong-jik)
- [Kim Jong Suk 11 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kim-jong-suk)
- [Paekam 12 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/paekam)
- [Phungso ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/phungso)
- [Pochon 13 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/pochon)
- [Samjiyon 27 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/samjiyon)
- [Taehongdan 14 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/taehongdan)
- [Unhung 1 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/unhung)

## 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)