Quick facts
Sunch’ŏn overview
Sunch’ŏn (orange) and the other large cities of North Korea
Sunch’ŏn lies in South Pyongan in North Korea at 39.43°N, 125.93°E, about 72 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Pyongyang (UTC+9); GeoNames classifies it as a local seat.
It is smaller than Namp’o (455,000) and larger than Hŭngnam (346,082). The largest city in North Korea is Pyongyang with 3,222,000 people; the capital, Pyongyang, has 3,222,000.
The national capital, Pyongyang, is about 47 km away; the nearest large city is P’yŏngsŏng, 21 km from Sunch’ŏn.
North Korea as a whole has a live population of 26,652,404 (+0.2% a year) and ranks #56 of 238 countries — see the North Korea population page for the full statistics and the North Korea atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Sunch’ŏn
Largest cities in North Korea
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PyongyangCapital | Pyongyang | 3,222,000 |
| 2 | Hamhŭng | South Hamgyong | 559,056 |
| 3 | Namp’o | Nampo | 455,000 |
| 4 | Sunch’ŏn | South Pyongan | 437,000 |
| 5 | Hŭngnam | South Hamgyong | 346,082 |
| 6 | Kaesŏng | Kaesong | 338,155 |
| 7 | Wŏnsan | Kangwŏn-do | 329,207 |
| 8 | Chongjin | North Hamgyong | 327,000 |
| 9 | Kaech’ŏn | South Pyongan | 319,554 |
| 10 | Sariwŏn-si | North Hwanghae | 310,100 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sunch’ŏn?
Sunch’ŏn has about 437,000 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Sunch’ŏn the capital of North Korea?
No. The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang (3,222,000 people), about 47 km away. Sunch’ŏn is the 4th largest city of the country and a local seat.
How big is Sunch’ŏn compared with the rest of North Korea?
Its 437,000 residents are 1.6% of the 26,652,404 people living in North Korea today. Pyongyang is larger with 3,222,000 people.
Where is Sunch’ŏn?
In South Pyongan, North Korea, at latitude 39.43 and longitude 125.93, 72 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include P’yŏngsŏng (21 km), Paek'ak (28 km), Kaech’ŏn (30 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Sunch’ŏn Population 2026 — North Korea. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/north-korea/sunch-on/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/north-korea/sunch-on/">Sunch’ŏn Population 2026 — North Korea</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.