Country North Korea Size 950,000 active Founded 20 August 1947 Notable commanders Choe Yong-gon, Kim Chaek | Type Army Commander-in-chief General Ri Myong-su Part of Korean People's Army | |
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Allegiance Workers' Party of Korea Equipment 5,500 tanks
2,200 infantry fighting vehicles
8,600 artillery pieces
4,800 multiple rocket launcher systems Engagements Korean War, Syrian civil war Similar Korean People's Army, Korean People's Army Air, Korean People's Navy, Republic of Korea Army, Georgian Land Forces | ||
The Korean People's Army Ground Force (KPAGF; Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선인민군 륙군; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 陸軍) is the main branch of the Korean People's Army responsible for land-based military operations. It is the de facto army of North Korea.
Contents
History
The Korean People's Army Ground Force was formed on August 20, 1947. It outnumbered and outgunned the South Korean Army on the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950. North Korean ground forces formations which fought in the Korean War included the I Corps, the II and III Corps. The IV Corps and V Corps, VI and VII Corps were formed after the outbreak of war. Divisions included the 105th Armored Division, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 19th, and 43rd Infantry Divisions. During the Korean War, it also contained a number of independent units such as the 766th Infantry Regiment.
In 1960, the KPAGF may have totaled fewer than 400,000 personnel and probably did not rise much above that figure before 1972. The force then massively expanded over the next two decades. In 1992, there were 950,000 personnel. Before this expansion of the North Korean ground forces, the South Korean Army outnumbered the KPAGF. From the 1970s on, South Korea started exceeding North Korea in terms of economics. Thus, South Korea could modernize its forces, which in turn alerted North Korea and resulted in the expansion of the North Korean armed forces. Ironically, the weaker of the two Koreas has maintained the larger armed force. The size, organization, disposition, and combat capabilities of the Ground Force give Pyongyang military, albeit technologically inferior, possible options both for limited offensive operations to assault the lower half of the peninsula or for limited defensive operations against any perceived threat from South Korea.
Yossef Bodansky's Crisis in Korea, SP Books, 1994, gives an account of the North Korean order of battle in 1984-88 (p. 87-88).
Over time, this organization has adjusted to the unique circumstances of the military problem the KPA faces and to the evolution of North Korean military doctrine and thought.
In 1996 a significant portion of the staff, along with local government officials of the VI Corps was arrested and convicted of bribery and corruption. The VI Corps HQ, which was in Chongjin, was in charge of military activities in the whole of North Hamgyong Province. It consisted of three infantry divisions, four rocket brigades and one artillery division. Joseph F. Bermudez reports in Shield of the Great Leader that the incident was not a coup, but it is often reported as such. In any event, the corps was disbanded, and its units reallocated elsewhere, some to the IX Corps in North Hamgyong Province. The IX Corps now includes the 24th Division and the 42nd Division.
Current status
The overwhelming majority of active ground forces are deployed in three echelons — a forward operational echelon of four infantry corps; supported by a second operational echelon of two mechanized corps, the armor corps, and an artillery corps; and a strategic reserve of the two remaining mechanized corps and the other artillery corps. These forces include the 806th and 815th Mechanized Corps and the 820th Armored Corps. These forces are garrisoned along major north-south lines of communication that provide rapid, easy access to avenues of approach into South Korea. The KPAGF has positioned massive numbers of artillery pieces, including some fakes, especially its longer-range systems, close to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas.
As of 2013, the US Department of Defense has reported the ground forces in number totals 950,000 in strength.
Equipment
The Ground Forces have a mix of domestic and imported equipment in their inventory. Prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union, most of these items were Soviet made and later, from China.
The annual report of North Korea's military capabilities by the U.S. Department of Defense, released in early 2014, identified the North Korean Army's strength at 950,000 personnel, 4,200 tanks, 2,200 armored vehicles, 8,600 artillery guns, and over 4,800 multiple rocket launchers.
Armor
Today's KPA arsenal includes a mix of Soviet and Chinese products and locally produced armored vehicles.
Artillery
The KPA-GF artillery pool include both imports and locally produced guns.
Small arms
In South Korea, many of North Korean small arms are showcased in many war museums, such as War Memorial of Korea, tourist sites of North Korean infiltration tunnels, or for the purpose of inspiring patriotism to citizens. The Korean Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC) displays North Korean equipment (most of them used by Special Forces) on an exhibition van in various military-related events place such as military units or public establishments.
Retired small arms
(Some probably kept in storage for Worker-Peasant Red Guards units)
Ranks
Korean People's Army Ground Forces has six categories of ranks; marshals, general officers, senior officers, junior officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and soldiers.
Marshals
The Vice Marshal rank was created for a combined political-military position.
The Marshal of the KPA rank was created for a combined honorary promotion of political-military position.
Supreme commanders ranks are Marshal of the DPRK and Generalissimo.
Uniform
KPA officers and soldiers are most often seen wearing a mix of olive green or tan uniforms. The basic dress uniform consists of a tunic and pants (white tunics for general officers in special occasions); female soldiers wear knee length skirts but can sometimes wear pants.
Caps or peaked caps, especially for officers (and sometimes berets for women) are worn in spring and summer months and a Russian style fur hat (the Ushanka hats) in winter. A variant of the Disruptive Pattern Material, the Disruptive Pattern Combat Uniform (green), the ERDL pattern, the M81 Woodland and the Tigerstripe is also being worn by a few and rare images of North Korean army officers and service personnel. In Non-Dress uniforms a steel helmet (Soviet SSh68 combat helmet) seems to be the most common headgear, and is sometimes worn with a camouflage covering.
Standard military boots are worn for combat, women wear low heel shoes or heel boots for formal parades.
Camouflage uniforms are slowly becoming more common in the KPA. During the April 15, 2012 parade, Kevlar helmets were displayed in certain KPA units.