---
title: "Yodok (South Hamgyong): North Korea County Demographics & Abuses | Save North Korea"
description: "Yodok in South Hamgyong: population 40,839, 300 documented human rights abuses, 1 detention facilities, and 1 official markets."
url: "https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/yodok"
language: en
translations:
  en: https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/yodok
  ko: https://savenorthkorea.org/ko/counties/yodok
  ja: https://savenorthkorea.org/ja/counties/yodok
  zh-Hans: https://savenorthkorea.org/zh/counties/yodok
---

[Counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties) · South Hamgyong · KP0317

 County in South Hamgyong 

# Yodok

**40,839** people 2008 census, may be outdated 

**1,341** km² 30 people per km² 

**30%** live in towns 

**300** documented abuses NKDB 

**1** detention sites 

**1** official markets 

Yodok · South Hamgyong

[ Open on the intel map](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0317)[ Satellite view](https://savenorthkorea.org/map#county=KP0317&b=sat)[ Compare all 179 counties](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties)

## Seen from space

**0.11%** of the county lit at night in 2025 

0.00% 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 **293**
- Freedom of Belief & Expression **7**

## When they happened

1. **11** ’60s
2. **83** ’70s
3. **38** ’80s
4. **39** ’90s
5. **39** ’00s
6. **4** ’10s

## Women and men

**21,691** women (53%) **19,148** men 

## Prison camps here

- [ © 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)

## 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)
- [Tanchon City 17 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/tanchon)
- [Toksong 32 ](https://savenorthkorea.org/counties/toksong)
- [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)