Lighthouses of Eastern North Korea

For much of its history Korea was an independent kingdom working to limit the influence of its larger neighbors China and Japan. In 1910 Japan annexed all of Korea. At the end of World War II in 1945 the 38° parallel was established as the dividing line between U.S. and Soviet zones of occupation and in 1948 separate civil administrations were established in the two halves of the country. The Korean War (1950-53) ended in a draw with an armistice line (now the de facto international border) falling close to the prewar 38° line. The northern half of Korea became the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea, a reclusive Communist state that bars all but a few carefully selected foreigners.

As a result of this history and the current political situation there is very little information available on the lighthouses of North Korea. Satellite imagery confirms the presence of many lighthouses including some historic lighthouses built during the period of Japanese rule. DPRK postage stamps provide images of several of the lighthouses.

North Korea is divided into nine provinces plus the capital city and one "special city." The country has two coastlines; the east coast faces the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and the west coast faces the Korea West Sea (Yellow Sea) and Korea Bay. This page covers lighthouses of the east coast, and there is a separate page for the lighthouses of the west coast. Historically the east coast has only three provinces, North Hamgyong, South Hamgyong, and Kangwon.

The romanization system used in North Korea differs from the Revised Romanization system used in South Korea. In Korean the word for a lighthouse is deungdae (등대); dan (formerly tan) is a cape, seom (som) or do (to) is an island, am or amseog is a rock, man is a bay, and hang is a harbor.

The name Korea, used internationally, is a Western version of Goryeo or Koryŏ (고려), the name of a kingdom that unified the country in the tenth century. From 1392 to 1897 the kingdom was known instead as Joseon or Chosŏn (조선). In the DPRK Korea is called Chosŏn.

Mariners note: North Korea is in IALA Region A (starboard-side lights are green) while South Korea is in Region B (starboard-side lights are red).

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume M of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Korea - East Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. This listing includes both South and North Korea.
World of Lighthouses - North Korea
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Leuchttürme auf Briefmarken
Postage stamp images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Leuchttürme Japans und Koreas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images, also posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for North Korea.
 

Changdokdo Light
Changdok Do Light, Wonsan, August 2010
Flickr photo copyright Thomas Peddle; used by permission

Rason City Lighthouses
Rason (its name shortened from Rajin-Sonbong) is an ice-free port in the extreme northeast corner of Korea, close to both the Russian and Chinese borders. China is assisting in the development of the port since it provides northeastern China with a shorter route to the Pacific. In 2010 the metropolitan area was separated from Hamgyongbuk Province for more direct administration by the central government as the Rason Special Economic Zone.
Maritime Border Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 99 m (325 ft); continuous white light. Fog siren. 35 m (115 ft) cylindrical skeletal tower. The front of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. This range defines the border between Russia and North Korea at sea. The front light is in Russia (see the Valdivostok Area page). Located on a steep hillside above the Tumen River, which is the Russian border. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M7420.01; NGA 16198.1.
Ogalam San (Ogaram San)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); continuous green light. 6.5 m (21 ft) white square metal tower mounted on a square concrete equipment building. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a headland about 7 km (4.5 mi) west southwest of the Russian border. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4590; NGA 16204.
Nan Do (Alsom)
1915. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 14 s. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. Fog siren. Lighthouse Digest has a postage stamp image contributed by Michel Forand and Google has a satellite view. Although Nan Do means South Island this is Korea's northernmost traditional lighthouse. The island is actually called Alsom (알섬). Located on a small island in the Sea of Japan about 15 km (9 mi) southeast of Sonbong, near the Russian border. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-003; Admiralty M4570; NGA 16200.

Nan Do (Alsom) Light, Rason, March 2016
DPRK Today news photo
Kwak Tan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); white flash every 12 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) square concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a sharp promontory about 10 km (6 mi) south of Sonbong. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4568; NGA 16228.
Taecho (Daecho) Do
1935. Active; focal plane 120 m (394 ft); four white flashes every 25 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. Fog siren (blast every 45 s). A postage stamp image is at right, Huelse has an older postage stamp image, and Google has a satellite view of the station. Taecho Do is an inhabited island roughly 1.5 km (1 mi) in diameter about 8 km (5 mi) south of Rajin. Located at the southern tip of the island. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-010; Admiralty M4558; NGA 16232.
Soch'o Do
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) square white tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on an island in Rajin (Najin) Bay north of Taecho Do. ite and tower closed. Admiralty M4558.5.
Rajin (Najin) Man
Date unknown. Abandoned. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) skeletal tower atop a 2-story support building. The skeletal tower is in a state of collapse. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The modern port of Rajin is about 2 km (1.25 mi) southwest. Located on the traditional waterfront of Rajin. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4561.

Taecho Do Light, Rason
postage stamp image from dprktoday.com
Song Do
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square white tower. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view.This is apparently a recently built light because earlier Bing satellite views showed no development at the site. Located on an island at the west side of the entrance to Rajin (Najin) Bay, across from Taecho Do. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4558.2.

North Hamgyong (Hamgyongbuk) Province Lighthouses
Ijin Man (Oryong Am)
1916. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 16.5 m (54 ft) round concrete tower on a square base, painted black. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a rock south of Ijin. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-017; Admiralty M4556; NGA 16248.
Sajin Dan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; two white flashes, period unknown. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) tower. No photo available but Google has a good satellite view of the station. Located a prominent cape about 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Ijin. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4552.
Chongjin (Komalsan, Komalsan Dan)
1910. Active; focal plane 59 m (194 ft); one long white flash every 6 s. 14 m (46 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, centered on a 1-story hexagonal concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. Fog siren (blast every 45 s). A photo is at right, Forand's has a historic postcard view and a second postcard view, a postage stamp image is available, and Google has a satellite view in which the light station appears very little changed from its historic appearance. This is a staffed station. Located at the tip of the Komal Peninsula on the east side of the city of Chongjin. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-012; Admiralty M4540; NGA 16252.
Chongjin Dong Hang (East Harbor) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Originally developed as a port by the Japanese, Chongjin is now the third largest city of North Korea and the capital of North Hamgyong province. Located at the end of long east-to-west breakwater that protects the modern harbor of Chongjin. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4542; NGA 16260.
Chongjin So Hang (West Harbor) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous green light. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long north-to-south breakwater that protects the southern harbor of Chongjin. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4546; NGA 16268.
Chongjin So Hang Wharf
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located at a corner of main west harbor wharf. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4547; NGA 16269.
Orang (Eorang) Dan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) round brick tower, painted white. Fog siren. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view that probably shows the lighthouse. Located on a promontory on the east side of the port of Odaejin. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-021; Admiralty M4534; NGA 16272.
Kwoedan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; white light, pattern unknown. No description or photo available but Google's satellite view reveals a white concrete tower. Kwoedan is a small bay identified by Google Maps as a naval station. Located on a promontory about 30 km (19 mi) south of Chongjin. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4533; NGA 16276.5.

Chongjin (Komalsan) Light, Chongjin, 2020
Unattributed Wikimapia photo
Song Dan (Ryanghwa)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); white flash every 3 s. Fog horn. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) white concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a sharp promontory about 40 km (25 mi) north of Musu Dan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4532; NGA 16278.
Unmandae Dan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 119 m (390 ft); one long white flash every 14 s. No photo or description available but Google has a distant satellite view of a white tower. Located on a prominent headland about 16 km (10 mi) north of Musu Dan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4531; NGA 16277.
Musu Dan (Musudan, Cape Boltin)
1911. Active; focal plane 83 m (272 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Keeper's house and other buildings. Fog siren. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. North Korea's missle test site is close to Musudan, and the country's intermediate range ballistic missile is called the Musudan. Located on the most prominent cape of Korea's northeast coast, near the village of Kalma. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-020; Admiralty M4530; NGA 16280.
Yujin Dan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; long white flashes, period unknown. No photo or description available but Google has a distant satellite view of a white tower. Located on a prominent headland near Kimchaek about 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Musu Dan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4527.
Songjin (Kimchaek) Hang East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); light characteristics unknown. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a pier in the harbor of Kimchaek (formerly Songjin). Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4521.
Songjin Peninsula (Kimchaek)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 7.5 m (25 ft) octagonal concrete tower, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view of the station. Located on a promontory on the south side of the port of Kimchaek (formerly Songjin). Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-022; Admiralty M4516; NGA 16284.

South Hamgyong (Hamgyongnam) Province Lighthouses
Yongdae Gap
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); one long white flash every 9 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) white concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a prominent cape southwest of Kimch'aek. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4514; NGA 16301.
Tanchong (Dancheong) Hang East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 20 m (66 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) tower, perhaps a skeletal tower on a concrete base. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the long east (outer) breakwater of Tanchon (Dancheong) harbor. Site and tower closed. Not yet listed by the Admiralty.
Tanchong (Dancheong) Hang West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 10 m (30 ft) white concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. NGA lists this light as "Sabvjin." Located on the west (inner) breakwater of Tanchon (Dancheong) harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4513; NGA 16303.
Ogar Am (Tanchon)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; two white flashes, period unknown. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. No photo available but Google has a good satellite view. This appears to be a new lighthouse. Located atop a narrow ridge on the southwest side of Tanchon. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4512.5.
Ch'aho Hang (Chonchodo)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); continuous white light. 20 m (66 ft) tower described by NGA as "white triangular metal tower, metal column." No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Chonchodo is an island formerly connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus; a channel has been cut through the isthmus. Located on the east side of the peninsula north of the cut. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4512; NGA 16304.
Choncho Do (Chonchodo)
Date unknown. Apparently inactive since 2014. Described by NGA only as a "beacon"; Google's satellite view shows a white tower. No photo available. Located at the southern tip of Chonchodo. Site and tower closed. ex-Admiralty M4512.2; ex-NGA 16305.
Song Do Gap
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 59 m (194 ft); one long white flash every 7 s. No description available but Bing's satellite view reveals a concrete tower, possibly with lantern and gallery. Located on a rocky islet connected to a prominent cape by a narrow sandbar, about 13 km (8 mi) east of Sinpo. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4510.4; NGA 16306.
Mayang Do (Mayangdo)
1913. Active; focal plane 68 m (223 ft); four white flashes every 22 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Mayang Do is an irregularly-shaped island about 6 km (3.5 mi) long located just off the coast about 20 km (13 mi) east of Hongwon. Located on a hill near the southeastern point of the island. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-019; Admiralty M4510; NGA 16308.
Songyong Man
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown. No descripton or photo available but Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the station. Located on an island off a promontory sheltering the harbor of Hongwong. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4508; NGA 16309.
Ansong Gap
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 87 m (285 ft); one long white flash every 7 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) hexagonal concrete tower, painted white. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a very prominent cape about 16 km (10 mi) southwest of Hongwon and a similar distance northeast of Hungnam. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-015; Admiralty M4506.5; NGA 16308.5.
#Soho (Sohojin, Hungnam)
1911. Demolished sometime in 2018-19. Still listed with focal plane 49 m (161 ft); two white flashes every 30 s. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal concrete tower centered on a square 1-story concrete keeper's house. Entire lighthouse is white. A postage stamp image is at right and the lighthouse is just barely visible atop the promontory near the right edge of Kolhoznik Max's 2009 photo. However the lighthouse has disappeared from Google's satellite view. Located at the tip of a rugged peninsula on the east side of the port of Hungnam. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-014; Admiralty M4506; NGA 16312.

Soho Light, Hungnam
2001 postage stamp image courtesy of Michel Forand
Hungnam Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Hungnam, North Korea's third largest city. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4492; NGA 16316.
Kwangsunggotchi
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); one long white flash every 9 s. No description available but Bing's satellite view reveals a round concrete tower at least 15 m (49 ft) high. Located on a promontory about 20 km (13 mi) east of Kumya. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4490; NGA 16323.

Kangwon Province Lighthouses
The 1953 armistice line split this province, so there is a province by the same name across the line in South Korea. (The name of the South Korean province is now transliterated as Gangwon.) The provincial capital Wonsan is an important port.
Sokkun Som (2)
Date unknown (station established 1919). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 7 s. 17 m (56 ft) 2-stage round strongly conical concrete tower with a gallery at the top of the lower stage. The lighthouse appears to be unpainted white concrete. No photo available but a postage stamp image is at right and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a skerry about 1 km (0.6 mi) off the southern tip of the Hodo Peninsula, marking the entrance to Wonsan Bay; Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-006; Admiralty M4488; NGA 16324.
Yubun Do (Yubundo)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); one long white flash every 6 s. Described only as a "beacon" by NGA; Google's satellite view reveals that the light is mounted on a rectangular building. No photo available. Located on a small island in the northern entrance to Wonsan Bay Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4487; NGA 16325.
Worhyon Am
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 5.5 s. Approx. 5 m (17 ft) concrete tower. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a tiny island in the central entrance to Wonsan Bay Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4474; NGA 16328.
Yo Do
1906. Active; focal plane 67 m (220 ft); white light occulting once every 20 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal concrete tower, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Yo Do is the largest of a scattering of small islands in the southern entrance to Wonsan Bay. Located on heights at the southeastern point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-023; Admiralty M4472; NGA 16332.
Sokkun Som Light
Sokkun Som Light
2004 postage stamp image
courtesy of Klaus Huelse
Yongjin (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); one long white flash every 12 s. Tower height unknown. NGA describes this as a "white square framework tower" but Google's satellite view reveals a concrete tower with lantern and gallery. No photo available. Located on a promontory on the north side of Wonsan Bay. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4485; NGA 16326.
Changdok Do (Wonsan Hang, Changdokdo) (2)
Date unknown (rebuilt 2009). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse is white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Thomas Peddle's photo is at the top of this page, Eric Lafforgue has a view from the sea, and Bing has a satellite view. This is the only lighthouse of North Korea's east coast seen with any regularity by foreign visitors. Originally the upper portion of the light was a square skeletal tower, as seen in a 2004 postage stamp image, but in 2009 this was replaced by an extension of the concrete tower. A photo of this construction is available. Located on a skerry at the end of the 1.2 km (3/4 mi) long breakwater of Wonsan. Accessible by walking the breakwater, and it appears that this is permitted. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4480; NGA 16340.
Amyong Kkut (Apryong Dan)
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane unknown; white flash every 10 s. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse appears to be unpainted white concrete. No photo available but a postage stamp image is at right and Google has a satellite view. Located on a prominent cape about 25 km (15 mi) east of Wonsan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4473; NGA 16350.
Chongsok Dan (Chongsok Tan)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 39 m (128 ft); two white flashes every 30 s. Tower with lantern and gallery, height unknown. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a very sharp promontory about 80 km (50 mi) southeast of Wonson. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4468; NGA 16352.
Sawol Gak
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 66 m (216 ft); one long white flash every 25 s. No description or photo available but Google's satellite view probably locates the light. NGA calls the light Sol Som, the name of an island nearby. Located on a prominent cape about 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Changjon. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4465; NGA 16358.
Changjon Man (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 82 m (269 ft); white light, 3.5 s on, 3.5 s off. NGA describes this as a "white square metal tower, concrete base." No photo is available but Google's satellite view suggests a concrete tower on a square base. Located on a high promontory on the north side of the entrance to Changjon. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4464; NGA 16360.
Changadae Dan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); two white flashes every 18 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. No photo available but Google has a good satellite view. Located on a prominent cape about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Kosong. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-001; Admiralty M4462; NGA 16359.
Apryong Dan Light
Apryong Dan Light
2004 postage stamp image
courtesy of Klaus Huelse
Suwon Dan (Cape Duroch) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 41 m (134 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Fog siren (blast every 60 s). No photo available but Google has a satellite view of the station. Located on a cape about 3 km (2 mi) east of Kosong and 6 km (3.5 mi) north of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NKR-008; Admiralty M4461; NGA 16364.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Vladivostok Area | South: Sokcho Area

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted September 24, 2007. Checked and revised September 21, 2023. Lighthouses: 47. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.