Ryongchon Port Coal Terminal
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Ryongchon Port is a small coal port located at the mouth of the Yalu River, south of the Chinese city of Dandong in North Korea.[1]
Location
The Ryongchon Port is located in Sindo, North Pyongan, North Korea.
Background
In August 2017, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2371 prohibiting North Korean exports of coal.
Research conducted in 2019 by the Stimson Center and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency stated the following:
- “The Ryongchon coal port is located near the mouth of the Yalu River, about 1.6 kilometers downstream from the Chinese city of Dandong. Like Sunchon Port, the port construction began in 2015 with the clearing of the area for a quay and other port facilities. Coverage was minimal, until March 2017, when the quay was observed to be complete, concrete was being poured for the deck area, and a long, 14-bay storage facility was under construction. By February 17, 2018, the building was completed, three small piles of coal were on the quay, and cargo trucks were queued just outside the security point on the road leading into the facilities. The coal stores are not as large as many of the other facilities and it is unclear why that is the case. The proximity to China facilitates potential short transfers across the river, which may be hard to detect. Furthermore, a couple of kilometers south, there is a sizable, covered rail-to-road transfer station. Ore cars have been observed there, but none have been seen loading or unloading ore. Given these conditions, the coal port and transfer facility merit further monitoring.”
As of September 2026, it is estimated that North Korean ports have exported 1.5 million tonnes of coal in total, which might include the Ryongchon Port Coal Terminal.[2] The sanctions on coal from North Korea remain valid, but with the lapse in UN oversight and Russia vetoing the renewal of the independent UN panel monitoring compliance, the exports have accelerated.[3]
Project Details
- Owner: North Korean Ministry of National Defense[4] (estimate)
- Location: Sindo, North Pyongan, North Korea
- Coordinates: 39.922064, 124.316558 (exact)
- Coal Capacity (Million tonnes per annum): Unknown
- Status: Operating
- Start Year: 2018
- Type:
- Source of Coal:
Articles and Resources
Sources
- ↑ "A Snapshot of North Korea’s Supply Chain Coal Activity," 38 North, March 8, 2019
- ↑ "North Korea coal exports hit 1.5 million tons in 2025 despite UN sanctions: lawmaker". www.koreajoongangdaily.com. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "North Korea's sanctioned coal trade rebounds as UN monitoring lapses, rights group says". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "North Korea's sanctioned coal trade rebounds as UN monitoring lapses, rights group says". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
