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Today on the Korean Atlas and History: Major North Korean Cities.

Hamheung.

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The city of 함흥 is North Korea’s second largest city after 평양, with a

population of around 768,000. Hamheung is also the capital of North Korea’s South

Hamgyong province.

Hamheung is located on the left branch of the 성천 river. It is situated on the

eastern edge of North Korea, adjacent to the East Sea. It has a humid, continental

climate, with warm humid summers and cold dry winters.

The city boasts a long history, highlighted as the location of an event after

이성계, or King 태조 retired there. King 태조, the first King to create a new dynasty

which he named Joseon, established his capital in Seoul. After creating his empire,

King 태조 was faced with the question of who would be his successor. 이방원, King

태조’s fifth son by Queen 신의, his first wife, contributed the most in assisting his

rise to power. 이방원, however, hated two of King 태조’s important allies in the

court, 정도전 and 남은. The feelings were mutual between the two allies and 이방원,

and because of this, 정도전 influenced King 태조 to appoint his favorite son, 이방성,
to the throne. Around this time, King 태조’s second wife, Queen 신덕 suddenly died,

and while King 태조 was in mourning, 정도전 conspired to kill 이방원 and his

brothers. 이방원 learned of the plan, and immediately revolted, killing 정도전 and

two sons of Queen 신덕. Exhausted from so much death, King 태조 crowned 이방과,

his second son by Queen 신의, as ruler, and retired to the 함흥 Royal Villa. 이방원

sent envoys to King 태조 in order to reconcile, but 태조 had them killed, which led

to the saying 함흥차사, or “King’s Envoy to Hamheung.” The saying is used to

describe a person that goes on a journey and is never heard from again.

The Hamheung Royal Villa, is located in Sonamudong, Sapogu Station. It is

not the original structure, however, but a rebuilding from the late 17th century. The

original structure was burned during Japanese invasions of Korea in the late 16th

century. Other parts of the Villa were destroyed during the Korean War, but most

parts have been restored. Relics from the villa are on display in the Hamheung

museum.

Not only was the Hamheung Royal Villa damaged during the Korean war, but

it is estimated that 80-90% of the city was damaged. Between October 17th, 1950,

and December 17th, 1950, the ROK occupied the city. From 1955 to 1962, communist

East Germany made Hamheung the object of a large-scale program of

reconstruction.
 After the period of reconstruction, Hamheung has been cited in numerous

events of civilian uprisings against the North Korean regime. On such event took

place in 1985, in which hundreds of civilians protested in the streets of Hamhung.

The protest was quelled, however, when troops fired on the protesters with anti-

aircraft guns installed on the tops of buildings. Reports show that hundreds were

massacred in the incident.

In March, 1993, the Seventh Corps headquarters in Hamhung attempted a

mutiny in which thirty reformist officers planned to give a negative report to the

International Atomic Energy Agency during their inspection. Prior to the IAEA

inspection, however, the reformists were caught and arrested.

In 1995, North Korea was ravaged by famine and soldiers began to rise up

against the government. In one case, the leaders of the sixth corps in Chongjin

planned to take over major facilities in their home city, and then gain support of the

seventh corps in Hamhung and march on Pyongyang. The corps The government

quelled this revolt, and the units were disbanded.

This soldier uprising was not much of a surprise, though, as Andrew Natsios

describes Hamheung as “the city most devastated by the famine.” Numerous fresh

graves surround the hillsides of the city, and many of Hamheung’s children have

been stunted by malnutrition. The famine caused more than 10% of the population’s

death, and more than 10% fled the city in search of food. The famine’s destruction
of the city seems to have had some of its most devastating effects on the city of

Hamhung; effects that still last to this day.

The city of Hameheung produces textiles, metal ware, machinery, refined oil,

and processed food. In addition, Hamheung is an important chemical industry center

in North Korea. It serves as a major port for North Korean foreign trade as well.

Because of its high proportion of chemist, the chemical industrial complex located

there, and the major port, it has been speculated by some that it is North Korea’s

center of methamphetamine production.

Two large “reeducation” camps are located near Hamheung. 교화소 No. 22

Oro is to the north of Hamheung and houses about 1,000 prisoners. A larger camp,

교화소 No. 9, is located in northeastern Hamheung and is divided into five

departments. The main prison camp, about 6km northeast of the downtown area,

began as a colonial prison during the period in which the Japanese Occupied Korea.

After this period, the facility was used as a factory, and then after was reformed into

the first and second departments of the current concentration camp. The first and

second departments currently house around 1,500 prisoners who produce 쌍마

sewing machines. The third department, 교화소 No. 15, was erected in 1998. It is

located about 18 km northeast of the city center. It is mainly for female defectors,

and houses livestock, rice paddies, and vegetable patches. Around 500 prisoners

work in this camp. The forth department is located in 총푱군. The amount of
prisoners there is unknown, but it is known that they labor in a gold mine. The fifth

department, in 코원군 is similar, with an unknown number of prisoners laboring in a

coal mine.

The living conditions of the camps are poor. Many prisoners sleep on straw

and grass. Prisoners are in a constant state of hunger, and food rations include very

small amounts of steamed corn and a watery cabbage soup or bean porridge, but

no salt or protein. In order to survive, prisoners eat raw mice, snakes, frogs, insects,

or even grass, tree leaves, and tree bark. Some prisoners even eat undigested beans

and corn kernels from cow dung, but if caught, they are punished. Prisoners who are

ill must work in order to avoid food reductions and beatings. There is only one

military doctor in the prison, no medical devices, and almost no medicine. Prisoner

often get infected when receiving injections.

Prisoners must work from 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM with only two breaks, except in

the winter. In the third department, women have to do hard farm work with

inadequate tools, regardless of the weather. After dinner, all prisoners have to attend

re-education and mutual criticism sessions, often until 10:00 PM. If prisoners fail to

memorize the teachings of Kim Il-Sung, their prison sentence is extended. The

facility is surrounded by an electric fence and the prisoners are guarded 24 hours.

Prisoners inside the camps look like skeletons. In the first department, prisoners

sleep on factory bridges to avoid sleeping on the lice-infested concrete floor.

Prisoners who violate the rules are severely kicked or beaten with rifle butts and

wooden sticks. Another common punishment is the reduction of food rations.

Prisoners who are in solitary confinement get almost no food.

In the winter of 1999 to 2000, around 500 prisoners died in a six month

period. Many died while working to dig a tunnel from Hamheung concentration

camp to Oro concentration camp. Corpses were burnt in large quantities in a

furnace. Female prisoners are often sexually assaulted and raped by security officers.

If found to be pregnant, the prisoners are taken out of the prison for a forced

abortion.

Outside of the prison camps, the city of Hamheung serves as a transportation

hub, connecting various eastern ports and the northern interior area as well.

Hamheun Station is on the 푱라 Line Railway, and the 톡산 Airport connects the city

to other locations as well. Hamheung boasts the Hamheung Grand Theatre, the

largest theater in North Korea, as well as a national museum.

Hamheung is home to the Hamheung University of Education, Hamheung

University of Pharmacy, Hamheung University of Chemistry, and the Hamheung

University of Medicine. Professional colleges include the Hamheung College of

Quality Control, the Hamheung Hydrographic and Power College, and the

Hamheung College of Electronics and Automation.

 The city of Hamheung is a sister city with Shanghai, and has been since 1982.

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Thank You for listening to this episode of the Korean Atlas and History. Most

of today’s information was taken from the 나무 Wiki and Wikipedia. All of our

episodes can be found and downloaded from koreanatlasandhistory.com. Thank

you for listening and we’ll see you next time.