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Military


Orders of Battle and Major Equipment
South Korea and North Korea

Comparison of Military Forces between North and South Korea

Classification

South Korea

North Korea
Troops

Army

560,000
690,000

1,003,000

1,160,000
1)Navy
67,000
54,000
Air force
63,000
103,000

Principal force capability
Army
Unit
Corps

11
20
Divisions
2)50
3)62
Brigades
20
4)113
Equipment
Tanks
5)2,200
3,800
Armored vehicles
2,250
2,300
Field guns
6)4,850

7)12,000
Helicopters
570
320
Navy
Surface combatants
12)170
440
Support vessels
12)30
8)510
Submarines
6
9)40
Aircraft
60
-
Air force
Fighters
550
850
Support aircraft
180
520
Reserve forces (troops)
10)3,040,000
11)7,450,000

Footnotes:

1)
 Marine Corps included in the navy
2)
 Marine Corps divisions included
3)
 Instruction Guidance Divisions have increased.
4)
 Defense brigades, missile/artillery brigades (mortars) included
5)
 T-80U and others have increased.
6)
 8-inch artillery and others have increased.
7)
 Numbers re-counted with the inclusion of MRLS and the reorganization of units
8)
 Patrol boats included
9)
 Some 20 Sang-o-class submarines included
10)
 Eighth-year reservists included
11)
 Instruction Guidance Units, Worker and Farmer Red Guards, Young Red Guards, and People's Guards included
12)
 Old-model vessels decommissioned

 

Ground Forces of South Korea and North Korea, 1990

Category South Korea NorthKorea
Active-duty personnel 575,0001 930,000
Military units 3 army headquarters 16 corps headquarters
10 corps headquarters2 31 infantry divisions2
2 mechanized infantry divisions2 15 armored brigades2
21 infantry divisions2 24 infantry brigades2
7 special forces brigades 25 special forces brigades
8 independent infantry brigades armor infantry marine ---
1 aviation brigade ---
2 surface-to-surface missile battalions surface-to-surface missile battalions3
Equipment 1,560 tanks 3,500 tanks
1,550 armored personnel carriers 1,960 armored personnel carriers
4,200 field artillery pieces 7,800 field artillery pieces
140 multiple rocket launchers 2,500 multiple rocker launchers
5,300 mortars 11,000 mortars
12 surface-to-surface missiles 70 surface-to-surface missiles

---means negligible.
1 Includes 25,000 marines.
2 Includes subordinate armor and artillery units.
3 Number of units unknown.

Source: Based on information from The Military Balance, 1989-1990,London, 1989, 165-66; and Republic of Korea, Ministry of National Defense, Defense White Paper, 1989,Seoul, 138-40.

Air Forces of South Korea and North Korea, 1990

Category South Korea North Korea
Personnel 40,000 70,000
Military units1 22 ground attack interceptor squadrons 3 bomber regiments
1 reconnaissance squadron 18 ground attack regiments
1 search-and-rescue squadron surface-to-surface missile battalions2 4 transport squadrons 6+ transport regiments 2 defense artillery divisons
5 surface-to-surface missile battalions 7 air defense regiments
2 air defense artillery brigades
1 counterinsurgency squadron
Equipment
Fighter aircraft 90 F-5A B 40 J-7
36 F-16C D 160 J-6
204 F-5E F 100 J-5
130 F-4 40 Q-5
20 RF-4 5 10 Su-25
23 A-37 24 MiG-29
46 MiG-23
120 MiG-21
300 MiG-17
20 Su-7
Bombers 0 80 H-5
Antisubmarine aircraft 251 0
Transport 37 280
Helicopters 4003 142

1 Data on transportation, helicopter, and training units not available.
2 Number of units unknown.
3 In army and naval aviation units. The army, navy, and air force have an additional 263 support aircraft, including helicopters, trainers, and transports.

Source: Based on information from The Military Balance, 1989-1990,London, 1989, 165-66; and Republic of Korea, Ministry of National Defense, Defense White Paper, 1989,Seoul, 1990, 138, 141.

Naval Forces of South Korea and North Korea, 1990

Category South Korea North Korea
Personnel 35,000 40,000
Military units 3 fleet commands East Coast Fleet
1 aviation command West Coast Fleet
1 amphibious command
1 logistics command
1 mine-warfare command
1 training command
Equipment 3 minisubmarines 24 submarines
11 destroyers 2 frigates
17 frigates 4 corvettes
11 missile-attack craft 29 missile-attack craft
68 patrol boats 330 patrol boats
9 minesweepers 40 minesweepers
52 amphibious craft 125 amphibious craft
10 Grumman S-2 aircraft
35 Hughes 500-MD helicopters

Source: Based on information from The Military Balance, 1989-1990,1989, London, 165-66; and Republic of Korea, Ministry of National Defense, Defense White Paper, 1989,Seoul, 1990, 141.




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