---
title: "Tanchon City (South Hamgyong): North Korea County Demographics & Abuses | Save North Korea"
description: "Tanchon City in South Hamgyong: population 345,875, 17 documented human rights abuses, 2 detention facilities, and 7 official markets."
url: "https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/tanchon"
language: en
translations:
  en: https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/tanchon
  ko: https://savenorthkorea.org/ko/counties/tanchon
  ja: https://savenorthkorea.org/ja/counties/tanchon
  zh-Hans: https://savenorthkorea.org/zh/counties/tanchon
---

[Counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties) · South Hamgyong · KP0302

 City in South Hamgyong 

# Tanchon City

**345,875** people 2008 census, may be outdated 

**1,945** km² 178 people per km² 

**70%** live in towns 

**17** documented abuses NKDB 

**2** detention sites 

**7** official markets 

Tanchon City · South Hamgyong

[ Open on the intel map](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0302)[ Satellite view](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0302&b=sat)[ Compare all 179 counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties)

## Seen from space

**6.7%** of the county lit at night in 2025 

2.7% 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 **12**
- Survival **2**
- Life **2**
- Freedom of Movement & Residence **1**

## When they happened

1. **1** ’80s
2. **2** ’90s
3. **5** ’00s
4. **1** ’10s

## Women and men

**183,384** women (53%) **162,491** men 

## Prison camps here

- [ © 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)

## Elsewhere in South Hamgyong

- [Hamhung City 84 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/hamhung)
- [Hamju ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/hamju)
- [Hochon 2 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/hochon)
- [Hongwon 4 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/hongwon)
- [Jangjin ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/jangjin)
- [Jongphyong 4 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/jongphyong)
- [Kowon 2 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kowon)
- [Kumho ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kumho)
- [Kumya ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/kumya)
- [Pujon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/pujon)
- [Pukchong 1 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/pukchong)
- [Rakwon ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/rakwon)
- [Riwon 4 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/riwon)
- [Sinhung ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sinhung)
- [Sinpho City 1 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sinpho)
- [Sudong ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/sudong)
- [Toksong 32 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/toksong)
- [Yodok 300 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/yodok)
- [Yonggwang 14 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/yonggwang)

## 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)