Hamhŭng (Hamhŭng-si; Korean pronunciation: [hamɣɯŋ]) is North Korea's second-most populous city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province.

Being located by the Sea of Japan, its climate is directly influenced by it, resulting in warmer winters and cooler summers than areas similar in latitude on the western coast.

The Sino-Korean word '흥' (Hancha: 興), added to the original name of Hamju, means that the town would prosper.

The city was 80–90% destroyed by American air raids during the Korean War (1950–1953) and was occupied by ROK troops between 17 October 1950 and 17 December 1950.

From 1955 to 1962, Hamhŭng was the object of a large-scale program of reconstruction and development by East Germany including the build-up of construction-related industries and intense training measures for Korean construction workers, engineers, city planners and architects.

[6] The project ended two years earlier than scheduled and with a low profile because of the Sino-Soviet conflict and the opposing positions that North Korea and East Germany took on that issue.

In 1995, Hamhŭng witnessed, thus far, one of the only documented challenges to the North Korean government when famine-ravaged soldiers began a march toward Pyongyang.

[13] There is speculation that Hamhung, with its high proportion of chemists and the site of a chemical-industrial complex built by the Japanese during World War II, might be the center for North Korea's methamphetamine production.

Production includes textiles (particularly vinalon), metalware, machinery, refined oil and processed food.

[16] While prior to liberation of Korea Hamhung had an extremely backwards economy due to the destructive actions of the Japanese, the city was rapidly developed afterwards, with new industrial districts being built and being broken free of colonial acquisitions of material.

Much of the heavy industrial equipment used in other cities are built in Hamhung, and its production contributes to the monumental construction of buildings under projects launched by the Workers' Party.

The city is also served by the narrow gauge, commuter Soho Line linking West Hamhung to Hungnam, via February 28 Vinylon factory.