Hamhŭng is North Korea‘s second largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. With an estimated population of 768,551, Hamhung is the second largest city by population in the whole country of North Korea. Located in the southern part of the South Hamgyong province, Hamhung is the main and most popular metropolitan area in the whole province, and serves for almost all tourism by foreigners to the province. Hamhung has a thriving local economy compared to other metropolitan areas in North Korea, and it is known by North Koreans as a great area of architectural construction that was centrally planned, and built by the government of North Korea.
Located on the Sea of Japan in the middle east of North Korea, Hamhung is one of the many bigger cities in North Korea to be located on or near water, and the nearby sea has helped the economy grow, ever since the city grew into a well known symbol of the country of North Korea. Hamhung has always been more economically prosperous than many areas in the country, and a thriving middle class of North Korean citizens live in this metropolitan hub.
Hamhung is much more economically diverse than most cities in North Korea, and Hamhung has many unique industries that help the city thrive compared to other cities surrounding it. Hamhung’s rural areas are used for farm land and food distribution through the community. These lands mainly consist of rice fields, but other crops are grown in small portion as well. Hamhŭng is an important chemical industry center in the DPRK. It is an industrial city which serves as a major port for North Korean foreign trade. Production includes textiles (particularly vinalon), metalware, machinery, refined oil and processed food.
