North Korea is currently upgrading the Hamhung Prison, marking the fourth such renovation following the recent improvements in Sinuiju. This appears to be driven by various factors, including pressure from the UN and NGOs regarding human rights issues, an increase in the number of inmates – particularly those labeled as “anti-social elements” for emulating foreign influences – and the need for more efficient inmate control. Fundamentally, it also suggests that the regime now has the capacity to allocate resources to prison facilities. Since Prison camps fall under the Ministry of Social Security within the North Korean Cabinet, similar improvements are expected to gradually appear in other facilities as well. This development presents a valuable opportunity to raise renewed concerns about human rights conditions in North Korea.