What are the DPRK armed forces that have been so much talked about in the world?
In 2013, DPRK leader Kim Jong Un promised a «sea of fire» in the event of an attack on his country. He also said that if nuclear weapons were used against the DPRK, his country would respond in kind. And if an even more powerful means of attack is used, the enemy will receive an appropriate response. The main newspaper of the DPRK, Rodong Sinmun, published an editorial entitled «Sovereignty is more important than life». At that time, it was not only criticized but also ridiculed.
In connection with the entry into force of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), as well as information from the U.S. State Department about the presence of DPRK soldiers in the Special Military Operation (SMO) zone, the Western media have once again increased their interest in the armed forces of the military ally of Russia. Most of these publications do not deviate much from established myths that, for propaganda purposes, downplay the merits of a potential adversary.
But even the U.S., with its armada of satellites and numerous intelligence structures, is hardly able to accurately assess the state of the DPRK army. The fact is that the DPRK is an extremely closed country, where secrecy rules are even stricter than in the USSR. The lack of complex computer control systems can become an advantage in the current conditions. After all, the West overlooked the creation of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems in the DPRK! The DPRK’s successes in these areas were reported after the fact, with obvious delay and a dose of skepticism and belittlement. Nevertheless, the DPRK now possesses nuclear warheads on mobile and silo-based missile systems and possibly on submarines.
On May 31 this year, the DPRK conducted another test of one of its strategic ICBM. According to Japanese data, the missile was in the air for almost an hour and a half, reached an altitude of 7,000 kilometers and splashed down 1,000 kilometers from the launch site. In the past, the Japanese and Americans would say it «plopped» in such cases. But such a term is no longer used. The fact is that the DPRK is located in a rather limited area. It’s not Russia, where missiles are launched from the western part to ranges in the east. The North Koreans have to conduct training launches of intercontinental missiles almost vertically. But according to the same estimates, we are talking about a missile with a range of about 13,000 kilometers. And this no longer brings a condescending smile to the Japanese and Americans. Because such a missile, especially with a multiple re-entry vehicle, is capable of reaching any point on the territory of the United States. It’s no coincidence that the Pentagon declared on November 15 that it would have to deter several countries at once that possess nuclear weapons and delivery systems, including not only Russia and China, but also the DPRK. From a pariah, North Korea has become a U.S. adversary that Washington cannot ignore.
Of course, the nuclear arsenal of our allies is incomparable with that of the US, for example, which has about 5,500 warheads. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the DPRK had 20 strategic warheads and a number of tactical warheads in 2022. Other estimates suggest that the DPRK has up to 100 strategic missile systems. They also have a hydrogen bomb.
But it is worth recalling once again that it is impossible to accurately assess the DPRK’s nuclear arsenal due to the level of secrecy. Factories producing nuclear weapon components are hidden deep in the mountains, of which there are many in the northern part of the peninsula, as well as in other places inaccessible to space probes. Recruiting agents from among North Korean citizens, especially those working in such enterprises, is not feasible. NATO countries have neither the forces nor the means to do so inside the DPRK.
However, the number of warheads is not so important: even the existing warheads are sufficient to inflict unacceptable damage, for example, on the U.S. More importantly, the DPRK will not give up nuclear weapons under any circumstances now, and the country’s military doctrine provides for their use in case of threats to the North Korean leadership and the country’s existence as a whole. Moreover, with the conclusion of a military alliance with Russia, the DPRK and the region as a whole are experiencing a completely different strategic situation. The previous threat of immediate nuclear annihilation of the DPRK is now receding into the background, as this threatens a thermonuclear response from Russia.
But even the DPRK’s non-nuclear defense potential is significant, according to Western estimates. The armed forces number about 1.5 million and include all branches of the military, including ground forces, air force, and navy. The Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security have their own forces. There are also other paramilitary formations: the Worker-Peasant Red Guards, the Youth Red Guards, and various popular militias. In addition, conscription in the DPRK is compulsory and lasts at least five years. Thus, if necessary, the country’s armed forces are supplemented by 6 million well-trained reservists. And in the event of war, the entire country will be turned into a military camp.
Importantly, as in the USSR, the army is backed by a powerful military-industrial complex that includes the full cycle of weapons development and production. The entire range of necessary products — from small arms to nuclear warheads and their delivery systems — is produced in North Korea independently or with some outside assistance. Throughout the years of intense confrontation with the United States, the DPRK’s defense industry has worked tirelessly to develop new types of weapons and modernize existing ones. As a result, the army is equipped with modern weapons in addition to obsolete Soviet and Chinese equipment. The DPRK spends about 15 percent of its budget on defense.
Army ratings in the Western world do not give the DPRK’s armed forces high marks, placing them in the third dozen for unclear reasons (possibly for propaganda purposes). However, in terms of numbers, equipment and combat readiness, the DPRK’s army can surpass even many European defense structures.
The largest part of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) is the ground forces. Estimates range from 700,000 to 1.1 million. The ground forces include 15–20 corps of various purposes, spread across the country’s territory.
According to Global Firepower (2024), the DPRK is armed with 5,845 tanks, 4,500 self-propelled artillery pieces, and 2,920 multiple launch rocket systems.
Most of the armored vehicles are Soviet models or their Chinese copies: T-55, T-62, PT-85 tanks. However, Russian publications have provided data on the «Pokpung-ho» tank, a Korean modification of the T-72, which allegedly has characteristics close to the Russian T-90. The DPRK has also established production of the world’s largest floating tank, the M1985, as well as the «Chonma-ho» tank, which is based on the Soviet T-62.
The infantry, as in other armies, is motorized and equipped with various armored vehicles: BMP-1, BTR-60 and BTR-80, BTR-40, and VTT-323, based on the Chinese BMP VTT-323.
North Korean ground forces have a large number of different anti-tank missile systems, most of which are Soviet models: «Malyutka», «Shmel», «Fagot», «Konkurs».
The KPA has the largest artillery park — more than 21,000 guns and rocket systems. These include towed and self-propelled guns of calibers from 122 to 170 millimeters, various mortars and multiple launch rocket systems, including those with unique characteristics. Military experts consider the DPRK army’s artillery to be one of the most formidable in the world. It is the artillery systems that pose a particular threat to the neighbors to the south, as the capital of the Republic of Korea, Seoul, lies within their strike zone. And the shelling of the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in response to a provocation by the DPRK’s artillery in November 2010 demonstrated the combat readiness of these forces. For example, the heavy M1978/89 «Koksan» 170mm self-propelled guns in service with the DPRK army have an effective range of 40–50 kilometers. Such a range would allow the shelling of Seoul’s districts directly from DPRK territory in the first minutes of a conflict. North Korean «1985/89/91» type 240 mm multiple launch rocket systems, copied from the Soviet «Uragan» system, are also capable of reaching Seoul.
The appearance of such weapons in the SMO zone does not bode well for the enemy.
Following the Soviet model, the Ground Forces have developed military air defense. It includes about 10–11 thousand towed and self-propelled systems.
The Air Force of the DPRK consists of four commands, each responsible for its own direction, and six aviation divisions. In total, there are about 110,000 military personnel, about 1,000 aircraft and 205 helicopters (according to Global Firepower (2024)).
The basis of the Air Force’s aviation fleet consists of Soviet and Chinese-made aircraft: MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, Su-25 and MiG-29. Combat helicopters are represented by the Soviet Mi-2, Mi-4, Mi-8 and Mi-24. There are also 80 Hughes 500D helicopters.
North Korea has a powerful air defense system, which includes about 9–11 thousand various artillery anti-aircraft systems. These are mainly Soviet models S-75, S-125, S-200 and the «Kub» SAM system. But there are also modern systems of domestic production.
The North Korean Navy has a strength of nearly 60,000 personnel (according to Global Firepower (2024)). It is divided into two components: the East Sea Fleet (operating in the Sea of Japan) and the West Sea Fleet (designed to conduct combat operations in the Korean Gulf and Yellow Sea).
The DPRK Navy consists of approximately 500 ships and 35 submarines. Most of the naval composition of the DPRK Navy is represented by various types of boats: missile, torpedo, artillery and landing craft. However, there are also larger ships: corvettes and small anti-submarine vessels. The main task of the DPRK’s naval forces is to cover the coastline and coastal zone.
The DPRK has a large number of Special Forces. Various sources estimate their number to be between 80,000 and 125,000 military personnel. Their duties include reconnaissance and sabotage operations, countering U.S. and South Korean Special Forces, and organizing guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines.
Since the war on the Korean peninsula has not been officially ended by the grace of the United States, but rather a temporary armistice has been in place that was broken by Pyongyang several years ago, the Korean People’s Army is in a state of constant combat readiness and conducts regular drills.
And this description of the armed forces of the DPRK is probably not exhaustive because it is based on observation from space and analysis. It is possible that many surprises of the DPRK army are hidden under the veil of secrecy, deep in the mountains and in the folds of the terrain. Despite numerous provocations, the leadership of the DPRK has remained cautious and has not unleashed its entire arsenal.
But now, apparently, times are different. And it is possible that Western analysts as well as our strategists will have to reconsider their views on the DPRK’s armed forces.