EN/한국어/日本語
Take action

Prison camps · North Pyongan Province

Prison · kyohwaso

Kyo-hwa-so No. 3, Sinuiju

3호 신의주 교화소

Located in Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province, across from Dandong, China, Kyohwaso No. 3 holds approximately 2,500 prisoners. Because of its proximity to the border, it houses many defectors intercepted along the Yalu River prior to trial.

~2,500prisonersHRNK estimate
ActiveOperating (per HRNK)
Social Securityrun by
JagangKangwonNampoNorth HamgyongNorth HwanghaeNorth PyonganPyongyangRyanggangSouth HamgyongSouth HwanghaeSouth PyonganSinuiju CityCamp 14, KaechonCamp 25, ChongjinCamp 15, YodokCamp 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 AreaKyohwaso 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
Sinuiju City · North Pyongan
Kyo-hwa-so No. 3, Sinuiju · 40.0619°N, 124.4096°EGoogle Maps ↗ · Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics

Open on the intel map Sinuiju City county How the camp system works

Who is held here

  • Men
  • Criminal offenders
  • Political prisoners

Forced labor

  • Rock and gold mining
  • Prison uniform manufacturing

How well documented

  1. Satellite imagery
  2. Listed by NKDB / KINU
  3. Survivor testimony

Why people end up here

Kyohwaso hold people sentenced through the regular courts. Sentences are set in years, but hunger, beatings and heavy labor kill many before release. Common charges:

  • Illegal trading
  • Smuggling across the border
  • Watching foreign media
  • Trying to escape to China

Sources

Other facilities in North Pyongan Province