Military

Overview

North Korea maintains a formidable military for a country of its size, heavily influencing its economy, society, and international posture. The Korean People's Army (KPA), as it is officially known, is one of the central pillars of the state and the Kim regime's legitimacy.

Size and Structure

North Korea has one of the largest standing armies in the world. The active-duty force is estimated at 1 to 1.2 million personnel, which is about 5% of the entire population – an enormous proportion. In addition, there are about 600,000 reserves and several million paramilitary members (like the Worker-Peasant Red Guards) that can be mobilized in wartime. In total, roughly 25–30% of men aged 18–40 are in uniform at any given time (either active military or paramilitary). Women also serve; about 20% of the KPA are women, especially in signal, logistics, and some combat roles.

Military Branches

The KPA is divided into several branches:

• Ground Force – the largest branch, consisting of infantry, armor, artillery, special forces, etc.
• Navy – a smaller branch, mostly coastal defense and small patrol craft, submarines.
• Air Force and Air Defense – includes fighters, bombers (mostly obsolete models), and anti-aircraft units.
• Strategic Force – this branch controls the ballistic missile arsenal (and likely nuclear delivery systems).
• Special Operation Forces – North Korea has a large special forces contingent (est. 200,000), trained for asymmetrical warfare, infiltrations into South Korea, etc.

Paramilitary: Worker-Peasant Red Guard (a militia of civilian reservists, reportedly numbering a few million, who train part-time with old rifles) and Red Youth Guard (a youth paramilitary for high school and college students) also exist.

Budget and Economy Link

Military spending is a huge burden on North Korea's economy. By some estimates, North Korea has long spent 20–25% of its GDP on defense (though precise figures are hard to verify). In 2023, the government announced about 15–16% of the state budget would go to defense, which is still extremely high by global standards.

The military is prioritized for resources – in times of scarcity, soldiers and munitions get fuel and food before the civilian sector (hence the Songun "military-first" policy). The military also engages in production – KPA units run farms, factories, and construction projects to help the economy and also sustain themselves.

Equipment and Capabilities

Much of North Korea's conventional military equipment is old or obsolete, originating from Soviet and Chinese designs of the 1950s–80s.

Ground Forces

Tanks: North Korea fields large numbers of Soviet-designed T-54/55 and T-62 tanks, as well as indigenous modifications (like the Chonma-ho and Songun-ho tanks). While numerous, these would be outmatched by modern South Korean armor, but they still pose a threat due to sheer numbers and forward deployment near the DMZ.

Artillery: This is a key strength – North Korea has thousands of artillery pieces and rocket launchers positioned near the border, which could inflict massive damage on Seoul and surroundings in a conflict. This includes 170mm Koksan guns and 240mm/300mm multiple rocket launchers, some of which have ranges that reach the Seoul metropolitan area. Long-range artillery aimed at Seoul is one of North Korea's main deterrents against attack.

Infantry weapons: Standard issue rifles historically were copies of AK-47s. The KPA has a large special forces contingent with specialties in guerrilla warfare, tunneling (they have dug infiltration tunnels under the DMZ in the past), and maritime commando operations (mini-submarines, etc.).

Navy

The North Korean navy is relatively small, composed of mostly patrol boats, small submarines (including midget subs used for commando insertion; one such sub sank a South Korean warship in 2010). They have some larger submarines and are reportedly working on a submarine that could launch a ballistic missile (SLBM), which would be a strategic asset.

Air Force

The air fleet includes antiquated fighters like MiG-21s, MiG-23s, some MiG-29s (their most modern, from late 1980s), and Chinese J-5/J-6 (MiG-17/19 copies). They have not acquired new aircraft in decades due to sanctions and lack of funds. As a result, North Korea's air force would likely not challenge South Korea/US air superiority in war; it's maintained more for defense and as a propaganda tool (e.g., air shows with old planes).

Air Defense

North Korea has an extensive network of Soviet-era surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) like SA-2s, SA-3s, and SA-5s, plus many anti-aircraft artillery. They also reportedly have their own modern SAM system ("KN-06"), possibly analogous to early S-300 systems. This multi-layered air defense is aimed at complicating any allied air campaign.

Nuclear Weapons and Missiles

The crown jewel of North Korea's military (and the focus of global concern) is its Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs, especially nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Ballistic Missiles

To deliver these nuclear weapons, North Korea has developed a range of ballistic missiles:

• Short and medium range: Scud variants (KN- missile series) that can reach all of South Korea; Nodong missiles (medium-range ~1,300 km) that can hit Japan.
• Intermediate range: Musudan (though tests were mixed success) could reach Guam; Hwasong-12 tested successfully in 2017 (range possibly 3,700 km).
• Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs): Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 ICBMs were test-launched in 2017, demonstrating potential ability to reach the continental United States. In 2022, they tested the massive Hwasong-17 ICBM (and possibly a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel in 2023), further perfecting long-range strike capability.
• Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs): They have tested systems like the Pukguksong series from submersible platforms, indicating an attempt to develop second-strike capability from the sea.

North Korea's pursuit of these weapons has led it to declare itself a nuclear state and it sees them as vital to deterring any attempt at regime change by external powers. The nuclear and missile units likely fall under the Strategic Forces Command, reporting directly to Kim.

Military Doctrine

The DPRK's military doctrine historically planned for an offensive to reunify Korea, but realistically it focuses on deterrence and defense. Key strategies include:

• Maintaining the ability to inflict unacceptable damage on Seoul (via conventional artillery and rockets) as a deterrent.
• Using asymmetric warfare: special forces infiltrations, cyber warfare (North Korea has dedicated hacker units that have been active internationally), and possibly chemical or biological weapons (North Korea is suspected to have stockpiles of chemical weapons like nerve agents).
• "People's War" concept: In an all-out war, the idea would be to mobilize the entire population in defense – hence the large militias and civil defense drills.
• Nuclear strategy: possibly a stance of using nuclear weapons if the regime's survival is at stake (they have hinted they'd use nukes if attacked by nuclear enemies).

Conscription and Training

Conscription is mandatory. Men serve about 7–10 years in the regular military (reports vary, but it's extremely long service compared to most countries). Women have been conscripted as well in recent years, usually serving around 5–7 years, though only the top performers or volunteers beyond that. These long terms mean the KPA is a conscript army but with a core that is effectively professional due to years of service.

Training can be rigorous but resource-constrained (limited fuel for exercises, etc.). Soldiers are often used in labor projects when not in training or stationed at the border, for instance doing construction, farming, or assisting in industry – they are a workforce for the regime as well.

Militarization of Society

North Korea is often called a garrison state. Children are exposed to military culture early – they join the Young Red Guards in high school for basic drills. Towns have bomb shelters and citizens are taught songs like "We Will Go to War if Ordered." Parades in Pyongyang mark major holidays, with goose-stepping troops and displays of missiles and tanks to showcase strength.

The state's narrative is that they are under constant threat from foreign enemies, thus justifying why resources are diverted to the military while ordinary people sacrifice. The population is reminded that the military (and Kim as the Supreme Commander) are protecting their freedom.

Significant Incidents

Over the years, North Korea's military engaged in periodic clashes:

• 1960s: Commando raids, like the 1968 Blue House raid attempt in Seoul and the USS Pueblo capture (an American spy ship seized by DPRK in 1968, crew held for 11 months).
• 1970s–80s: Numerous DMZ firefights and provocations (tunnels found under the DMZ, axe murder incident in 1976 at Panmunjom). In 1983, North Korean agents tried to assassinate South Korea's president in Rangoon, Burma (killing 17 officials). In 1987, they bombed a South Korean airliner, killing all 115 on board.
• 1990s and 2000s: Naval skirmishes occurred in the West Sea (Northern Limit Line disputes, with battles in 1999, 2002, 2009). A North Korean torpedo sank the ROK ship Cheonan in 2010, and the North shelled Yeonpyeong Island the same year, causing military and civilian deaths.

These incidents show North Korea can and will use deadly force in limited ways, often to pressure South Korea or as retaliation for perceived slights.

Cyber warfare in the last decade has also been attributed to North Korean military units (for example, the hack of Sony Pictures in 2014 was blamed on DPRK, as well as attempts to steal cryptocurrency to fund the regime).

Command and Control

Ultimate command lies with Kim Jong-un, who is the Supreme Commander of the KPA. The military is embedded in the power structure – high-ranking generals are part of the elite, though Kim Jong-un has purged or rotated many to ensure loyalty. The National Defense Commission (now State Affairs Commission) and the Korean Workers' Party Central Military Commission are key bodies making military decisions, but effectively Kim's word is final. The General Staff Department handles operations and planning, reporting to Kim. Political commissars in each unit ensure party loyalty.

Military Parades

On important anniversaries (e.g. every 5 or 10 years of state founding, or leader's birthdays), the DPRK holds grand military parades in Pyongyang. These parades are carefully choreographed displays of national power – lines of troops, tanks rumbling through Kim Il-sung Square, and missiles on transporter erector launchers. Parades serve as both an internal morale boost and an external messaging tool. Recent parades (2020, 2021, 2023) showcased new weapons like massive ICBMs or solid-fuel rockets, often surprising analysts. Citizens are often required to practice and participate in the pageantry (flag-waving crowds, etc.) to create an image of unity between the army and people.

Conclusion

North Korea's military is disproportionately large and advanced in specific areas (notably missiles and special forces) given its economic means. It acts as both sword and shield for the regime – deterring foreign attack by threatening devastating retaliation, and internally, it's a key part of the regime's identity (the army's loyalty buttresses Kim's rule). As North Korean propaganda states, the KPA's role is not only national defense but also safeguarding the Kim family regime and even aiding in civilian construction. The heavy militarization has come at great cost to general prosperity, but from the regime's perspective it has successfully preserved their rule against all odds, making the country a nuclear-armed state that commands global attention well beyond what its economic size would suggest.