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Prison camps · South Hamgyong Province

Political prison camp · kwanliso

Camp 15, Yodok

15호 요덕 관리소

Camp 15 in Yodok County, South Hamgyong Province, is the most internationally documented North Korean political prison camp. It uniquely contained both a Total Control Zone and a "Revolutionizing Zone" (hyeokmyeonghwa guyeok) where prisoners could theoretically be released after ideological remolding. Prominent escapees Kang Chol-hwan (author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang) and An Hyuk were released from Yodok after serving sentences.

?prisonersno published estimate
ClosedReported closed or downsized, disputed
State Securityrun byBowibu
JagangKangwonNampoNorth HamgyongNorth HwanghaeNorth PyonganPyongyangRyanggangSouth HamgyongSouth HwanghaeSouth PyonganYodokCamp 14, KaechonCamp 25, ChongjinCamp 16, HwasongCamp 22, HoeryongCamp 18, PukchangKyo-hwa-so No. 8, YongdamKyo-hwa-so No. 11, Chung-sanKyo-hwa-so No. 7, KanggyeKyo-hwa-so No. 2, DongrimKyo-hwa-so No. 88, WonsanKyo-hwa-so No. 9, HamhungSunchon Kyo-hwa-soKyo-hwa-so No. 8, Sungho-riFacility at I-golFacility at UdanCh’oma-bong Restricted AreaKyo-hwa-so No. 3, SinuijuKyohwaso No. 1, KaechonKyo-hwa-so No. 4, KangdongKyohwaso No. 12, ChongoriKyo-hwa-so No. 6, SariwonKyo-hwa-so No. 22, OroKyo-hwa-so No. 77, Danchon
Yodok · South Hamgyong
Camp 15, Yodok · 39.6743°N, 126.8510°EGoogle Maps ↗ · Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics

Open on the intel map Yodok county How the camp system works

Crimes against humanity

Whole families are sent to kwanliso without trial under guilt by association (yeonjwa-je). The 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry found these crimes in the political prison camps:

  • Extermination
  • Murder
  • Enslavement
  • Torture
  • Imprisonment
  • Rape
  • Forced abortion
  • Persecution
  • Enforced disappearance

Sources

Other facilities in South Hamgyong Province