Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North)
Total Military Force 
Active: 1,082,000 Reserves: 4,700,000
Army (950,000)
Active: 20 Corps (1 Armored, 4 Mechanized, 12 Infantry, 2 Artillery, 1 Capital Defense)
27 Infantry Divisions with 15 Armored Brigades, 14 Infantry Brigades, 21 Artillery Brigades, 9 MRL Brigades
Special Purpose Forces Command (88,000): 10 Sniper Brigades, 12 Light Infantry Brigades, 17 Reconnaissance Brigades
Reserves: 40 Infantry Divisions, 18 Infantry Brigades
Navy (46,000)
Bases: East Coast Toejo Dong (HQ), Changjon, Munchon, Songjon-pardo, Mugye-po, Mayang-do, Chaho Nodongjagu, Puam-Dong, Najin West Coast Nampo (HQ), Pipa Got, Sagon-ni, Chodo-ri, Koampo, Tasa-ri 2 Fleet HQ
Air Force (86,000)
4 Air Divisions. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Air Divisions are responsible for the North, East, and South air defense sectors respectively. 8th Air Division remains responsible for the North East sector.
Flying Hours: 20 or less
Forces Abroad and Foreign Forces
North Korean military advisors are known to be in some 12 African countries.
Paramilitary (189,000)
Security Troops: 189,000 including Border Guards, and Public Safety Personnel
Peasant/Worker Red Guard: Over 3,500,000 organized on a local level, most with small arms; however many have known to be unarmed. They are known to be organized into brigades, battalions, companies, and platoons.
Strategic Force
In a roundtable discussion with the United States and China in Beijing on April 24, 2003, North Korean officials admitted for the first time that they possessed nuclear weapons. Furthermore, North Korean officials claim to have reprocessed spent fuel rods and have threatened to begin exporting nuclear materials unless the United States agrees to one-on-one talks with North Korea.
For more information see Links.
| North Korea * |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
| GDP |
18bn |
20bn |
|
| Defense Exp |
4.5bn |
5bn |
3.6bn |
| Defense Bdgt |
1.3bn |
1.4bn |
1.6bn |
* All figures in US dollars.
Links:
North Korea Specific Weapons Systems
North Korea - World Navies Today
FAS on North Korean Nuclear Capabilities
The International Institute for Strategic Studies
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