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Prison camps · North Hamgyong Province

Political prison camp · kwanliso

Camp 16, Hwasong

16호 화성 관리소

Camp 16 in Hwasong County, North Hamgyong Province, covers approximately 560 square kilometers, making it the geographically largest known detention facility in North Korea. Located in high mountain valleys near the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, satellite imagery indicates active forestry, agriculture, and mining operations staffed by an estimated 20,000 political prisoners.

~20,000prisonersHRNK estimate
ActiveOperating
State Securityrun byBowibu
JagangKangwonNampoNorth HamgyongNorth HwanghaeNorth PyonganPyongyangRyanggangSouth HamgyongSouth HwanghaeSouth PyonganMyongganCamp 14, KaechonCamp 25, ChongjinCamp 15, YodokCamp 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
Myonggan · North Hamgyong
Camp 16, Hwasong · 41.2870°N, 129.2684°EGoogle Maps ↗ · Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics

Open on the intel map Myonggan 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 North Hamgyong Province