Military potential of the DPRK

Tanks "Cheonma-2" at the parade, 2023

Despite all the objective difficulties, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the past was able to create strong and powerful armed forces, which it continues to develop and maintain today.

In its current form, the Korean People's Army is capable of performing a variety of tasks, ranging from local combat operations to strategic containment of a potential enemy on another continent.

The Korean People's Army has a number of features that reflect the strategy of the country's leadership and determine its potential.

General indicators

The construction of the DPRK army at one time was carried out on the model of the Soviet army, but over time, its own ideas and solutions were introduced. As a result, a multicomponent structure was created capable of conducting combat operations in various conditions and solving a wide range of tasks.

According to various estimates, the total number of KPA can reach from 1,25 to 1,3 million people. This makes it one of the largest armies in the world, both in absolute and relative numbers of troops. In addition, a significant part of the DPRK's 26 million population is in reserve and ready to return to service if necessary.

Teachings artillery, 2017 city

In 2017, a separate branch of the armed forces was created from the ground forces: missile strategic forces. Special operations forces exist to carry out special tasks.

The activities of the KPA are supported by a developed defense industry. Dozens of scientific and design organizations, as well as many factories, are engaged in the production of various weapons, equipment and ammunition. The entire range of necessary products, from small arms weapons to nuclear warheads and their delivery vehicles, is produced in North Korea independently or with some outside help.

The exact potential of KPA is understandably unknown, and available estimates may not reflect the real state of affairs. For example, Western analysts traditionally underestimate the DPRK army, citing its technological backwardness, weak economy, foreign sanctions, and so on.

Firing MLRS KN-09

For example, this year the famous Global Firepower ranking placed the DPRK in 36th place in the world ranking of armies. At the same time, potential opponents of this country, such as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, were in 5th, 7th and 24th places, respectively. How accurate such estimates are remains questionable.

Forces and means

The Strategic Missile Forces (Strategic Missile Forces) play an important role in ensuring national security. They are given special attention. Despite their small numbers - according to foreign experts, they serve no more than 10-12 thousand people - it is the missile forces that use a variety of strategic systems.

According to various estimates, at least 100–120 complexes equipped with medium- and intercontinental-range missiles are currently deployed, including complexes with special combat equipment.

The largest component of the Korean People's Army is the ground forces. Their number, according to various estimates, ranges from 700 thousand to 1,1 million people. The ground forces include 15–20 corps for various purposes, distributed throughout the country.

Particular attention is paid to protecting the southern border and Pyongyang. A separate army corps is engaged in the defense of the capital.

Launch of the Hwasong-18 ICBM, 2023

According to The Military Balance, the Korean People's Army (KPA) has a large number of tank units. They are armed with at least 3500 combat vehicles.

The KPA fleet preserves old foreign-made models, such as the Soviet T-54/55. The construction of our own modern main battle tanks “Chonma” or “Songun” is also underway. The infantry armored vehicle fleet includes at least 2500 vehicles of various types. These are mostly old Soviet armored personnel carriers, but there are also modern local developments.

The KPA has the largest artillery fleet - more than 21 thousand barrel and rocket systems. These include towed and self-propelled guns in calibers from 122 to 170 millimeters, various mortars and multiple launch rocket systems, including those with unique characteristics. Operational-tactical missile systems of various types are being built and deployed.

Following the Soviet model, the ground forces have a developed military DefenseIt includes about 10-11 thousand towed and self-propelled systems with large-caliber machine guns and guns in calibers from 37 to 100 millimeters. Also widely distributed are portable anti-aircraft missile systems of Soviet and Russian manufacture.

Amnok-class patrol ship

The Korean People's Army Air Force numbers up to 110 thousand personnel and is divided into four divisions, each of which is responsible for its own strategic sector.

Combat missions are carried out by three bomber regiments, one assault regiment and about 20 fighter regiments aviation. The Air Force also has helicopter, military transport and training aviation.

In total, the Air Force has up to 500–550 aircraft. Among them are about 80 Il-28 bombers and about 400 fighters of various models. The Air Force has both obsolete MiG-15/17 and relatively modern MiG-29 or Su-25. The equipment is mainly of Soviet and Chinese origin.

The helicopter fleet includes up to 300 transport and transport-combat vehicles, mostly of the Soviet type. It is also reported that fleet unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), but specific models are still unknown.

The Air Defense Forces (ADT) are organizationally part of the Air Force and are responsible for protecting areas. They consist of up to 18–20 brigades with various equipment. According to foreign data, these troops are still armed with Soviet-made air defense systems, such as S-200, S-125 and S-75. In the last decade, work began on creating our own medium- and long-range anti-aircraft missile systems of the Ponge series. According to available data, these systems have already entered service with units.

Submarine "Hero Kim Gun Ok" - future SLBM carrier

The strength of the Navy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is about 60 thousand people. They are divided into two fleets: Eastern and Western, which protect the country's borders in the Sea of ​​Japan and Yellow Sea, respectively.

The Navy includes more than 500 ships and submarines. The submarines are mainly diesel-electric ships of Soviet design or boats based on them, which carry only torpedo weapons. However, recently, work has been actively carried out to create submarine missile carriers with ballistic missiles. At least one such diesel-electric submarine has already been included in the Navy.

In the surface forces, the largest are about 10 frigates and corvettes of various projects. They are equipped with Korean-made artillery and guided missile weapons. The fleet also includes more than 30 Soviet and Korean-made missile boats with various weapons options.

Heavy UAV "Setbyol-9", 2023

The most numerous in the Navy are artillery and patrol boats - about 300 units. In addition, the fleet has about 20 minesweepers for mine clearance. Landing capabilities are provided by 10 ships capable of transporting tanks, as well as a large number of different boats.

The coastal forces of the Navy consist of marines and missile and artillery units. Rocket and artillery units use large-caliber guns and several types of missile systems with anti-ship missiles, which can be placed both stationary and on mobile platforms.

Launcher of the Ponge-5 air defense missile system, 2013.

Today and tomorrow

Thus, the DPRK has numerous and fairly developed armed forces, sufficient to solve the problems of deterrence and conduct combat operations with perceived adversaries. At the same time, all necessary measures are being taken to further develop the KPA and strengthen defense. In particular, in recent years, the Korean Strategic Missile Forces have gained the opportunity to attack enemy targets outside the Pacific region.

It is obvious that the DPRK leadership will continue to develop its army, and it will receive new capabilities. Considering the general deterioration of the military-political situation in the world, one can expect that such development will even accelerate. In addition, the recently signed cooperation agreement with Russia should be taken into account. It is quite possible that it will also help the development and strengthening of the KPA.

Comments

[smart fellow]

Some of the information is outdated judging by information from open sources.

According to various estimates, the total number of KPA can reach from 1,25 to 1,3 million people.

Under Kim Jong Il in the KPA - 1. Several years ago, the DPRK reduced the length of military service, which reached 200-000 years. Accordingly, the number decreased to 7-10 thousand versus 600 thousand for the southerners + 700 thousand Americans.

The Air Force has both obsolete MiG-15/17 and relatively modern MiG-29 or Su-25.

MiG-17/19 - by the way, women also fly them (they flew the MiG-15 in the Korean War, one female pilot became a hero of the DPRK and was the commander of a women’s squadron, all the pilots died in battle), MiG-29 and Su -25 are already outdated, given the avionics and missile weapons.

Air defense missile system "Ponge-5", 2013

"Ponge-5" was withdrawn from service, replaced by "Ponge-6". North Korea has announced the characteristics of the Pongge-6, claiming that the interceptor missile flies at 12 times the speed of sound and is capable of hitting targets at an altitude of up to 185 km and a distance of up to 400 km.

Amnok-class patrol ship

2 corvettes were built, an air defense system was installed on the helicopter deck and can launch missiles with a range of 2000 km. In 2016, a corvette with a helipad and a second smaller one were spotted. There are also new missile boats.

[Vadim S]

Well done! Under sanctions for decades, limited resources, people in poverty, but they do not give up and develop.

[smart fellow]

people in poverty

The concept of poverty is relative. An American living in a landfill and begging in an underpass can earn more in dollars than the average North Korean resident who lives in an apartment received for free from the government, who does not pay utility bills, enjoys free medical services, and who does not have to pay for his children's college education. .
There was a funny, albeit sad, incident in South Korea. A North Korean refugee with a small child was found by police in an apartment in Seoul. They died of hunger.

[Kmon]

It's the old dilemma of which is better - guaranteed poverty (but not total poverty) for everyone or a chance at a rich life (but with the risk of complete poverty) for everyone. Judging by the fate of the USSR and the lack of people willing to move to the DPRK (which cannot be said about the USA), most people prefer the second option.

[BSD Fan]

Mostly those who want to move to the USA are those who know little about real life in the states. Those who have at least been there do not always even want to return (it is clear that there are exceptions). In general, in the states, in order to live well, you need to earn very well (taxes and insurance eat up a huge share of income, and if you don’t pay insurance, then with any more or less serious treatment there is a risk of being left without a home, there is no moratorium like in the Russian Federation on taking away your only home)

[Kmon]

Those who move very rarely return, which means for the majority everything is not as bad as you say.

[Kostadinov]

Judging by... the lack of people willing to move to the DPRK

There are a lot of people who want to move to the DPRK from South Korea and Japan, but no one talks about it.
There are also people who want to return to the DPRK from South Korea.
There are very few people who fled from the DPRK to South Korea. It is mainly Koreans and Chinese citizens who are fleeing to South Korea, but there are not many of them either.

[Blackmokona]

Quote: Kostadinov

There are a lot of people who want to move to the DPRK from South Korea and Japan, but no one talks about it.

Yes Yes. Why doesn’t anyone run to this poor paradise?

[snerg7520]

Are you just broadcasting American propaganda in the comments, or are you also not disdainful of pigs?

[Kmon]

Just “a lot”? Where does the info come from?

Of course, there are few people who fled from north to south, because the borders are tightly locked. If they were open, they would flee in droves, even better than from the GDR to the FRG.

[Kostadinov]

Yes Yes. Why doesn’t anyone run to this poor paradise?

Of course you know better.
There are only 89 thousand Koreans from Japan who moved to the DPRK. This is several times more than all the citizens of the DPRK who left somewhere.
A significant number of members of the Workers' Party in the DPRK, including the party leadership, fled from South Korea at one time.

[Kmon]

So we are talking about the current DPRK, and not what happened there 70 years ago, when South Korea was really even worse.

[Kostadinov]

Of course, there are few people who fled from north to south, because the borders are tightly locked.

No one crosses this border - neither to the North nor to the South. There is still war, mines, barriers and a huge concrete wall higher and wider than the Berlin one, but from the South of Korea. Do you know about this or did no one tell you about the South Korean wall? There is no North Korean wall.
They are fleeing from other countries both in the south and in the north.

[Kostadinov]

So we are talking about the current DPRK, and not what happened there 70 years ago, when South Korea was really even worse.

Koreans from Japan and citizens of South Korea are still fleeing to the DPRK today, although not as many as before 1990.
Famous people are fleeing, for example, the best player of the DPRK team at the 2010 world championship, a Korean from Japan. In 1999, before my eyes, the captain of a fishing ship who escaped from South Korea gave an interview. He didn't have a house and lived on his ship. And there are dozens of them every year. In the DPRK they get their own home and can study at the university.