The Aoji-ri Chemical Complex is a large industrial complex in Haksong-ri (formerly Aoji-ri),

Kyŏnghŭng Kyŏnghŭng County is a ''kun'', or county, in North Hamgyong province, North Korea. Formerly known as Ŭndŏk County (), from 1977 to 2010. The county borders the People's Republic of China to the northeast. With the exception of the southwest, ...

county,

South P'yŏngan South Pyongan Province (Phyŏngannamdo; ) is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Pyongan Province, remained a province of Korea until 1945, then became a province of North Korea. Its ca ...

province,

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

, which produces about 51 different products, including methane (35,000 tons per year), ammonia (26,000 tons per year), ammonium bicarbonate (100,000 tons per year), and coal tar derivatives (15,000 tons per year). It also allegedly produces

blood agent A blood agent is a toxic chemical agent that affects the body by being absorbed into the blood. Blood agents are fast-acting, potentially lethal poisons that typically manifest at room temperature as volatile colorless gases with a faint odor. Th ...

s and

vomiting agent Vomiting agents are chemical weapon agents causing vomiting. Prolonged exposure can be lethal. They were used for the first time during WWI. Examples * Adamsite * Chloropicrin * Diphenylchlorarsine *Diphenylcyanoarsine Diphenylcyanoarsine, also ...

s, including

Adamsite Adamsite or DM is an organic compound; technically, an arsenical diphenylaminechlorarsine, that can be used as a riot control agent. DM belongs to the group of chemical warfare agents known as vomiting agents or sneeze gases. First synthesized in ...

.Chemical Agents: Adamsite
. Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). March 2003. The Chosen Synthetic Oil Company (

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

: 조선인조석유주식회사 ''Chosŏn Injosŏgyu Chusikhoesa'',

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

: 朝鮮人造石油株式会社 ''Chōsen Jinzōsekiyu Kabushiki Kaisha'') opened the complex in 1937, originally to produce

synthetic oil Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds that are artificially modified or synthesised. Synthetic lubricants can be manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil, but can also be syn ...

from the high-quality

bituminous coal Bituminous coal, or black coal, is a type of coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen or asphalt. Its coloration can be black or sometimes dark brown; often there are well-defined bands of bright and dull material within the seams. It ...

mined in the area. After the establishment of

, the company was nationalised. The facility is served by the

Korean State Railway The Korean State Railway (), commonly called the State Rail () is the operating arm of the Ministry of Railways of North Korea and has its headquarters at P'yŏngyang. The current Minister of Railways is Chang Jun Song. History 1945–195 ...

via Hoeam station on the

Hoeam Line The Hoeam Line is a non-electrified secondary line of the Korean State Railway in Kyŏnghŭng County, North Hamgyŏng province, North Korea, running from Haksong on the Hambuk Line to Obong.Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama n ...

.Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 93

References

Chemical companies of North Korea {{NorthKorea-struct-stub