Korean People's Army Ground Force

This article is about the North Korean army. For the North Korean armed forces, see Korean People's Army.

조선인민군 육군 朝鮮人民軍 陸軍 Korean People's Army Ground Force
The flag of the Korean People's Army.
Founded	August 20, 1947
Country	North Korea
Type	Army
Engagements	Korean War Angola Civil War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Choi Yong-kun, Kim Chaek

The Korean People's Army Ground Force (KPAGF; Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선인민군 육군; 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.

History

Main article: History of the Korean People's Army

The force was formed in the late 1940s and 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 II and V Corps, 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 KPA GF may have totaled fewer than 400,000 persons and probably did not rise much above that figure before 1972. The force expanded over the next two decades. In 1992, there were approximately 1 million personnel. Before this expansion of the North Korean ground forces, the South Korean Army outnumbered the North Korean Army. From the 1970s on, South Korea started exceeding North Korea in terms of economics. Thus, South Korea could modernize its forces, which alerted North Korea and resulted in the expansion of the North Korean military. 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 options both for offensive operations to reunify the peninsula and for credible defensive operations against any perceived threat from South Korea.

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.

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 KPA has positioned massive numbers of artillery pieces including some fakes,^{[citation needed]} especially its longer-range systems, close to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas.

KPA Soldier at the DMZ

Equipment

The Ground Forces have a mixed 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.

Main sources: [1] (note that this source is known to be quite outdated), [2], [3]

The annual report of North Korea's military capabilities by the U.S. Department of Defense, released in early 2013, identified the North Korean Army's strength at 950,000 personnel, 4,100 tanks, 2,100 armored vehicles, 8,500 artillery guns, and 5,100 multiple launch rocket systems.

Tanks

Name	Type	In Service	Notes
Type 59	Main Battle Tank	1,000	some 2000 T-55 and Type 59 Tanks are thought to currently be in service
T-62	Main Battle Tank	1,000	Capable of receiving later model Ch'onma-Ho upgrades
T-55	Main Battle Tank	2,000	some 2000 T-55 and Type 59 Tanks are thought to currently be in service
PT-85 (Type-82)	Amphibious Tank	Unknown	based on the VTT-323 APC chassis
PT-76	Amphibious Tank	500	some PT-76 are in reserve status
Ch'ŏnma-ho	Main Battle Tank	as high as 1,000 (as of the early 1990s)	1,000 manufactured (as of the early 1990s)
P'okpung-Ho	Main Battle Tank	at least 500 in service as of 2010	Locally designed Main Battle Tank, contains elements from T-62, T-72, Type 88, T-80 and T-90.

Armoured Personnel Carriers

Name	Type	In Service	Notes
BMP-1	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	100	Designated as Korshuns
VTT-323	Armored Personnel Carrier		Based on the YW-531
M-2010	Armored Personnel Carrier		Based on the VTT-323 but with longer chassis and improved optics
Type 63 APC	Armored Personnel Carrier		Variant VTT-323 based on Chinese A531.
BTR-80	Armored Personnel Carrier	100	BTR-80A
BTR-60	Armored Personnel Carrier	1,000	First ordered 1966.
BTR-50P	Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier
Type 55	wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier		Type 55
BTR-152	wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier

Unarmoured vehicles

Name	Type	In Service	Notes
GAZ Vodnik	utility vehicle
Mercedes G-Class	utility vehicle		seen during the funeral of Kim Jong-il
UAZ-469	utility vehicle
ZIL-130	general-purpose truck
ZIL-157	general-purpose truck
MAZ-7310	missile system carrier
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation WS-51200 TEL	Transporter erector launcher platform	10

Artillery and Guns

Name	Type	In Service	Notes
	76.2 mm coastal artillery gun
M-1974	152 mm SP gun-howitzer
M-1978	170mm SP gun-howitzer		Largest Howitzer in KPA
M-1985	152 mm gun-howitzer		D-20/M1955; Type 83
M-1975	130 mm self-propelled gun
M-1992	130 mm self-propelled gun
M-1981	122 mm self-propelled gun		Type 54 SPH
M-1991	122 mm self-propelled howitzer
M-1992	120 mm self-propelled combination gun
M-1992	anti-air gun
ZSU-57-2	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.	500
ZSU-23-4	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.	100
M1985	240mm rocket launcher
M-1991	240 mm rocket launcher
M-1985	122 mm multiple rocket launcher
BM-11	122 mm multiple rocket launcher
Type 63	107 mm multiple rocket launcher		Being replaced by mobile M1991 240 mm models
BM-24	240 mm multiple rocket launcher		500 delivered in 1955
BMD-20	200 mm multiple rocket launcher
SU-100	100 mm SP assault gun
?	mortars	various ?	North Korea is known to have some 10,000 mortars of different types and origin in its inventory

Anti-tank weapons

• Man-Portable
  • RPG-2 (with second-line forces)
  • RPG-7 (Local Production)
  • Type 69 RPG Chinese rocket-propelled grenade
  • RPO-A (Local Production?)
• ATGMs
  • AT-1 Snapper ATGM
  • AT-3 Sagger ATGM (4,000 imported in the 1990s from Russia; local production)
  • AT-4 Spigot ATGM
  • AT-5 Spandrel (on anti-tank vehicles)
• Recoilless Rifles
  • 2,000 recoilless rifles, incl. B-10 recoilless rifle, B-11 recoilless rifle and SPG-9

Air Defense Weapons

• MANPADS
  • SA-7 MANPADS (Locally Produced)
  • SA-14 MANPADS (Locally Produced)
  • SA-16 MANPADS (Locally Produced)
• Guns
  • ZPU-4 AAA
  • ZSU-23-2 AAA
  • M1939 AAA
  • ZSU-57-2 SPAAG
  • ZSU-23-4 SPAAG
  • M1984 14.5mm SPAAG (Locally Produced)
  • M1992 30mm SPAAG (Locally Produced)
  • M1992 37mm SPAAG (Locally Produced)
  • M2012 57mm SPAAG (Locally Produced)

Small Arms

• Pistols
  • Type 64 - Unlicensed copies of the Belgium FN M1900 pistol
  • Type 66 - Indigenous copies of the Makarov PM Pistol
  • Type 68 - Indigenous copies of the Soviet TT-33 pistol. Original batches and the Chinese-made Type 54 pistol were also used, but now retired.
  • Type 70 - Self-create and produce pistol chambered in .32 ACP.
  • BaekDuSan - North Korean copy of the Czech CZ-75 pistol, issued to pilots. The Chinese-made NZ-75 pistols are also used.
  • FN Baby Browning
  • CZ 82 - Issued to senior ranks.
  • Browning Hi-Power
  • M1911 pistol
• Submachine guns
  • PPS-43 - both Soviet PPS submachine guns and Chinese Type 54s
  • M3
• Shotguns
  • KS-23 shotgun
• Assault Rifles

The KPA soldiers are armed mostly locally produced Kalashnikov-type rifles as the standard issue weapon. Rifles are designated like the Kalashnikov naming system, but they are named as "Type XX", making it more like the Chinese naming system. Aside from AK-type rifles, the KPA would gain some foreign made weaponry, mostly from China.

• • Type 56 - Chinese produced AK-47.
  • Norinco CQ - Chinese produced M16 rifle. Used by North Korean Special Forces.
  • Type 58 - Locally produced AK-47. Standard issue of KPA reserve forces.
  • Type 68 - Locally produced AKM. Standard issue among North Korean infantry and being slowly supplanted by the Type 88 or 98s .
  • Type 88 or 98 - Locally-produced AK-74. Used by the North Korean Special Forces primarily, but is slowly supplanting the Type 68. Future standard issue rifle of the KPA.
• Sniper Rifles
  • Zastava M76 Sniper Rifle. Manufactured locally as Chogyok-Pochong
  • Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle
• Machine Guns
  • RPK type 64 - Light Machine Gun
  • Type 62 Light Machine Gun. North Korean variant of the Soviet RPD Light Machine Gun
  • Type 73 Light Machine Gun. Indigenous design based on the vz. 52 (machine gun) and the Kalashnikov PK machine gun design
  • PKM machine gun
  • RPD
  • DShKM Standard issue Heavy Machine Gun
  • KPV Heavy Machine Gun
  • NSV Heavy Machine Gun
  • RP-46 Light Machine Gun
• Grenade Launchers
  • AGS-17 Automatic Grenade Launcher

Retired Small Arms

(Some probably kept in storage for Worker-Peasant Red Guards Units)

• TT pistol - Soviet Union made Tokarev batches, replaced by the locally made Type 68 pistol.
• Type 54 pistol - Chinese made Tokarev batches, replaced by the locally made Type 68 pistol.
• PPSh-41 - Under the designation 'Type 49'
• Mosin-Nagant - Now used for ceremonial purposes only
• PPD-40
• SVT-40
• SG-43 Goryunov
• DP
• Type 63 Rifle - Locally produced variant of the Soviet SKS carbine. Now used by ceremonial and reserve forces of the KPA.

Ranks and uniforms

Ranks

Korean People's Army Ground Forces has six categories of ranks; marshals, general officers, senior officers, junior officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and soldiers.

Enlisted

	NCOs				Soldiers
Ranks in Korean	T'ŭkmu-sangsa 특무상사	Sangsa 상사	Chungsa 중사	Hasa 하사	Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa 상급병사	Chungŭp-pyŏngsa 중급병사	Hagŭp-pyŏngsa 하급병사	Chŏnsa 전사
Ranks	Chief Master Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Junior Sergeant	Corporal First Class	Corporal	Lance corporal	Private

Officers

	Generals				Officers
Ranks in Korean	Taejang 대장	Sangjang 상장	Chungjang 중장	Sojang 소장	Taejwa 대좌	Sangjwa 상좌	Chungjwa 중좌	Sojwa 소좌	Taewi 대위	Sangwi 상위	Chungwi 중위	Sowi 소위
Ranks	General of the Army	Colonel General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Senior Colonel	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Senior Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Junior Lieutenant

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.

	Supreme commanders		Marshals
Ranks in Korean	Tae wonsu 대원수	Konghwaguk Wonsu 공화국원수	Wonsu 원수	Ch'asu 차수
Ranks	Generalissimo	Marshal of the DPRK	Marshal of the KPA	Vice Marshal

Uniform

KPAGF officers and soldiers are most often seen wearing a mix of olive green or tan uniforms. However the pictures depict of North Korean army in propaganda footage or formal setting. 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 sometime 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, Disruptive Pattern Combat Uniform (green) and the M81 Woodland 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 M-60 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 KPAGF units.

See also

• South Korean Army