City atlasNorth Korea

Hŭngnam

Decide whether to visit or live in Hŭngnam, then explore current conditions, local people, the map, and concise sourced context.

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Updated Tuesday, October 27, 2026 · sourced live layer and versioned editorial content

AI-assisted, evidence-constrained research · how this page is made

Refreshing today in HŭngnamWeather, news, events, people, safety, local signals, and the daily brief are being refreshed together. Permanent history remains available, and this page reloads automatically.
Live decision desk

Would you visit or live in Hŭngnam?

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Interactive visit / live calculatorHow safe is Hŭngnam for your plan?
82/100
Should I visit Hŭngnam?

Generally suitable with routine precautions

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises avoiding all but essential travel to the whole country.

high source confidence · current planning signal, not a personal-safety guarantee
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  • No high-severity wording detected in the supplied advisory
  • Latest air-quality reading is not elevated
  • Avoid all but essential travel to the whole country.

The score combines dated official-advisory wording, weather, air quality, sourced local context, and your selections. It does not predict crime or individual outcomes. Check local authorities and professional advice before a safety-critical decision.

Climate normals · 2016–2025

When to go: Hŭngnam month by month

Judged purely on 2016–2025 weather records, the friendliest months in Hŭngnam are typically May, June and September, with average daytime highs around 20–24°C. August is usually the warmest month (average high 27°C), January the coldest (average low -6°C), and August the wettest (about 252 mm). These are long-run averages, not a forecast.

Monthly averages computed from 2016–2025 Open-Meteo historical weather records for this location. Long-run averages, not a forecast.
MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Rain (mm)Sunshine (h/day)
January1.3-6.4187.8
February3.1-5.2238.6
March9.2-0.2379.2
April15.25.64410.2
May20.211.5889.8
June23.716.810610.2
July26.721.51949.2
August27.021.72528.5
September22.916.61268.7
October16.99.3837.7
November10.11.8517.4
December2.6-5.3247.8

Google News pulse · checked with SearXNG

What is being reported around Hŭngnam

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No recent story passed both checks.

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Current local index

People and places shaping Hŭngnam

AI-assisted local research, regenerated with the dated live layer. Every requested module remains visible; facts appear only after a source check, and unavailable categories explain what is still being researched.

Research updated Monday, October 12, 2026
Dates that matter

Past and future events in Hŭngnam

Future · verified dates only

Upcoming

No future event in Hŭngnam currently has a sufficiently reliable date and source. This is checked again on every refresh.

Past · documented context

Previously

  1. Documented history · 1950

    The port at Hŭngnam was the site of the Hŭngnam evacuation, a major evacuation of both United Nations military and North Korean civilians during the Korean War in late December 1950.

  2. Documented history · 2005

    In late 2005, Hŭngnam was demoted from Hŭngnam-si (Hŭngnam City) to Hŭngnam-kuyok (Hŭngnam District) within Hamhung-si.

  3. Hŭngnam evacuation

    The port at Hŭngnam was the site of a major evacuation of United Nations military and North Korean civilians during the Korean War in late December 1950.

  4. Administrative demotion to district

    In late 2005, Hŭngnam was demoted from Hŭngnam-si to Hŭngnam-kuyok within Hamhung-si.

Current public leadership

No current officeholder for Hŭngnam has passed the source checks yet. The live layer will try again on its next refresh.

People associated with this place

No person with a direct, sourced association to Hŭngnam has been verified yet.

Historical figures

No historical figure has been extracted from reliable context for Hŭngnam yet.

Local business and employers

  • February 8 Vinalon Factory Complex

    Structured data records this business as headquartered in Hŭngnam.

  • Hungnam Fertilizer Complex

    An industrial facility located in the city, noted for fertilizer production and alleged chemical weapons manufacturing.

  • February 8 Vinylon Factory Complex

    An industrial facility located in Hŭngnam allegedly producing UDMH fuel for liquid-fueled rockets and missiles.

  • Hungnam Chemical Engineering College

    An educational institution located in Hŭngnam.

Newspapers and local media

  • Media related to Hŭngnam at Wikimedia Commons

    Listed by the source as a local media outlet.

Buildings and landmarks

  • Hungnam Station

    A railway station located in Hŭngnam on the Pyongra Line.

Sources checked (12)

Interactive geography

See Hŭngnam in context

Background library

Keep the deeper context

Stable history, culture, districts, and practical reference remain in the main reading flow while the live layers above continue changing.

01 · Economy

Work and the economy in Hŭngnam

What defines the industrial economy of Hŭngnam?

Hŭngnam is a port city located on the eastern coast of the Korean East Sea within the South Hamgyong province of North Korea, functioning as a district of Hamhung. Geographically positioned at latitude 39.84198 and longitude 127.63206, the locality supports a population of 346,082 inhabitants utilizing the Korean People's Won.

What specific facilities anchor the manufacturing sector? The district serves as the base for the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex, a production site that has allegedly been utilized for manufacturing chemical weapons. Additionally, the local industrial infrastructure includes the February 8 Vinylon Factory Complex, which allegedly produces UDMH fuel applied in liquid-fueled rockets and missiles. Educational support for these industrial operations is provided locally by the Hungnam Chemical Engineering College.

How do transportation networks support commercial activity? Freight and passenger movement relies heavily on the Pyongra Line railway, which connects through Hungnam Station. The area is divided administratively into 43 tong, 1 rodongjagu, and 5 ri.

02 · Arts

Arts and cultural life in Hŭngnam

How does cultural exchange intersect with the history of Hŭngnam?

Hŭngnam is a district of Hamhung, the second largest city in North Korea, and functions as a port city on the eastern coast on the Korean East Sea (Sea of Japan). Situated only 13 kilometres (8 mi) from the slightly inland city of Hamhung, the area was administered as a city before becoming a ward of Hamhung in 2005.

How did wartime migration reshape human connections across the Korean Peninsula? During the Korean War in late December 1950, the port at Hŭngnam became the site of the Hŭngnam evacuation, a major evacuation of both United Nations military and North Korean civilians. Over the weeks leading up to Christmas 1950, approximately 100,000 troops and material and 100,000 civilians were loaded onto a variety of merchant ships and military transports totaling 193 shiploads, and were transported to safety in Pusan and other destinations in South Korea. This massive movement included 14,000 refugees transported on one ship, the SS Meredith Victory, marking the largest evacuation from land by a single ship.

What educational and industrial institutions operate within the district? The locality hosts the Hungnam Chemical Engineering College, alongside heavy industrial sites such as the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex and the February 8 Vinylon Factory Complex.

Source: Hungnam Wikipedia Article

03 · Overview

Hŭngnam, in brief

What is Hŭngnam and where is it located?

Hŭngnam is a district of Hamhung, the second largest city in North Korea. Positioned as a port city on the eastern coast along the Korean East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, it lies just 13 kilometres or 8 miles from the slightly inland city of Hamhung within the province of South Hamgyong.

What administrative changes has the district experienced?

Geographically situated at coordinates 39.84198 latitude and 127.63206 longitude in the Asia/Pyongyang timezone, the former city underwent a significant status shift. In late 2005, Hŭngnam was demoted from Hŭngnam-si or Hŭngnam City to Hŭngnam-kuyok or Hŭngnam District within Hamhung-si. Today, its administrative divisions comprise 43 tong or neighbourhoods, 1 rodongjagu or workers' district, and 5 ri or villages.

How many people live in the area?

The precise population of the district remains a subject of varying estimates and official records. While specific tracking records place the population figure at 346082, other historical and external estimates have ranged variously at 200,000 or 450,000. Meanwhile, official North Korean population figures have reached 700,000, though this particular statistic is disputed.

What is the historical significance of the port?

The port at Hŭngnam served as the historic site of the Hŭngnam evacuation during the Korean War in late December 1950. Marking a massive movement of United Nations military personnel and North Korean civilians, the operation culminated after the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, where embattled UN troops fought their way out of a Chinese trap. Over the weeks leading up to Christmas 1950, approximately 100,000 troops and material alongside 100,000 civilians boarded a variety of merchant ships and military transports totaling 193 shiploads. Transported to safety in Pusan and other destinations in South Korea, the evacuation included 14,000 refugees carried on a single ship named the SS Meredith Victory, establishing the largest evacuation from land by a single ship. This massive undertaking was enabled by a declaration of national emergency issued by President Truman on 16 December 1950 via Presidential Proclamation No. 2914, 3 C.F.R. 99.

What industrial and educational infrastructure exists here?

The local economy features the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex, which has allegedly also been used to manufacture chemical weapons, as well as the February 8 Vinylon Factory Complex, allegedly producing UDMH fuel used for liquid fueled rockets and missiles. Educational instruction is supported by the Hungnam Chemical Engineering College. For regional connectivity, Hungnam Station operates directly on the Pyongra Line railway, utilizing the official currency code KPW and the Korean language ko-KP.

Additional details and media documentation regarding the district are available through the Wikipedia article on Hungnam and the GeoNames record for Hŭngnam.

Atlas FAQ Desk

Frequently Asked Questions about Hŭngnam

Essential geographic, demographic, currency, and travel context verified from primary records.

01 · Q&A

Where is Hŭngnam located and what are its coordinates?

Hŭngnam is situated in North Korea at geographic coordinates 39.8420, 127.6321, with an elevation monitored in regional geographic surveys.

02 · Q&A

What is the population and time zone of Hŭngnam?

Hŭngnam has a recorded population of approximately 346,082 and observes the Asia/Pyongyang time zone.

03 · Q&A

What languages and currency are used in Hŭngnam?

Official and commonly spoken languages in Hŭngnam include KO-KP, with KPW used for local transactions.

04 · Q&A

How can I check live conditions and daily updates for Hŭngnam?

Today's Atlas provides continuous tracking for Hŭngnam, featuring real-time weather conditions, daylight cycles, local geographic signals, and verified daily briefs.