Detention facility, often managed by the MPS, where suspects accused of crimes are temporarily held prior to pre-trial examination or transfer to another detention facility.

An extrajudicial provincial level detention facility commonly managed by the MPS, but also by the MSS, for detainees awaiting transfer to their local MPS detention centre or precinct. Detainees have typically been refouled from China. Detainees who were arrested for travelling without required documentation are detained in a separate holding centre for domestic travellers.

Detention facility managed by the MPS and MSS on the city-, county-, district-, provincial-, and national-levels. This category of facility detains suspects undergoing pre-trial examination and detainees who have been sentenced and are awaiting transfer to a further penal facility.

City-, county-, or district-level detention facility managed by the MPS and PCNK. It holds detainees sentenced to an administrative penalty of short-term labour for between five days and 6 months (rodong kyoyang chobol). Administrative penalties served at labour training centres are based on the 2011 Administrative Punishment Law.

Provincial- and national-level detention facility managed by the MPS for detainees sentenced to 6-12 months (rodong danryon hyong) for non-political crimes. Detainees sentenced to labour training camps retain their citizenship and party membership. Sentences served at labour training camps are based on the revised 2015 criminal code.

Detention facility managed by the MPS for detainees convicted of non-political crimes and who have been handed a re-education sentence (rodong kyohwa hyong) of between 1 and 15 years or a life sentence. Detainees sentenced to re-education camps are deprived of their citizenship and party membership. Sentences served at re-education camps are based on the revised 2015 criminal code.

A detention facility managed by the MSS, but also by the MPS, for detainees sentenced with political crimes.

A detention facility, generally documented as managed by the MSS, whose location has been unidentified but is reserved for detainees charged with political crimes and who are undergoing investigation and for detainees who have been sentenced to a political prison camp and are awaiting transfer.

Temporary penal facilities include offices, kkotjebi relief stations, and facilities such as rural construction unit facilities (nongchong gonsoldae) which are temporarily repurposed as detention centres. In some instances, offices function as waiting rooms when regular penal facilities are non-existent or when evidence is insufficient to prove the charge of the accused. Kkotjebi relief stations, originally shelters for homeless people, are run by the PCNK and accommodate detainees when regular detention facilities, generally belonging to the MPS, are at maximum capacity or under construction.